3X114-8 
.CSTT 


PERFECT  SANCTIFICATION 


AN    AllTICLS    FBOM    TUB 


PRINCETON  REVIEW 


JULY,    1 

8  4  2. 

^ 

W. 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

PRINTED     BY     JOHN     T.     ROBINSON. 

1842. 


PERFECT  SANCTIFICATION. 


The  Scriptural  Doctrine  of  Sanctification  stated  and  de- 
fended against  the  error  of  Perfectionism.  By  W.  D. 
Snodgrass,  D.  D.  Philadelphia  :  Presbyterian  Board  of 
Publication.  1841.  pp.  112. 

This  judicious  and  excellent  treatise  presents,  in  a  small 
compass,  the  substance  of  the  modern  controversy  on  the 
doctrine  of  entire  sanctification  in  the  present  life.  The 
author's  statements  are  calm  and  clear,  his  method  logical, 
his  arguments  conclusive,  and  his  style  simple  and  dignified. 
Though  it  is  not  long  since  we  called  the  attention  of  our 
readers  to  this  subject,  especially  in  the  form  in  which  it  is 
presented  by  the  Oberlin  professors,  we  think  they  will  not 
regard  the  following  pages  as  misapplied,  when  they  con- 
sider how  ceaseless  are  the  efforts  of  the  advocates  of  error 
to  propagate  a  doctrine  which  the  history  of  the  church 
teaches  us  seldom  fails  to  become,  in  one  form  or  other,  an 
apology  for  sin. 

The  notion  of  the  actual  attainment,  in  some  instances,  of 
perfect  virtue  in  this  life,  is  so  gratifying  to  human  pride, 
that  we  need  not  wonder  at  its  adoption  by  some  in  nearly 
every  age  of  the  world.  Contrary  as  it  is  to  scripture  and 
experience,  it  is  too  deeply  radicated  in  man's  selfishness, 
not  to  find  apologists  and  advocates  among  the  conceited, 
the  enthusiastic,  and  such  as  are  unaccustomed  to  an  impar- 
tial scrutiny  of  their  own  hearts.  It  flatters  exceedingly  all 
those  pretensions  to  superior  sanctity  which  are  disjoined 
from  humility,  penitence,  and  ardent  aspirations  after  entire 
assimilation  to  the  perfection  of  the  divine  moral  charac- 
ter. In  most  of  the  false  religions  of  the  earth,  the  doctrine 
of  human  perfection,  manifested  in  at  least  some  peculiarly 
favored  instances,  has,  if  we  mistake  not,  formed  an  essential 
article  of  belief;  and  in  all  countries,  perhaps,  individuals 
have  been  found,  possessing  an  exemption  from  the  com- 
mon frailties  of  their  race.  A  kind  of  perfection  has  been 
claimed  for  Greek  and  Roman  sages,  for  Hindoo  devotees, 
for  Mahommedan  saints  ;  and  even  for  the  savage  warrior, 
smiling  in  death  at  the  impotent  efforts  of  his  enemies  to 
extract  from  his  agonized  nature  the  shriek,  or  the  groan  of 
suffering.     That  Pantheism,  which  is  the  philosophical  basis 


of  most  of  the  popular  systems  of  idolatry,  assumes  as  a 
fundamental  position,  such  a  union  of  man  to  the  Deity,  as 
constitutes  the  leading  principle  of  modern  perfectionism, 
in  its  purest  and  most  sublimated  form.     Hence  originates 
the  deification  of  men,  as  well  as  the  divine  worship  paid 
to  stocks,  stones,  rivers,  mountains,  wind,  and  all  the  infe- 
rior parts  of  the  creation  ;  Pantheism,  (elevating  a  creature 
of  yesterday  to  the  rank  of  a  divinity,)  which  is  supposed 
by  many  to  have  been  of  more  ancient  date  than  the  uni- 
versal deluge,*  was  maintained  in  all  following  ages  till  the 
time  of  Christ,  and  was  not  entirely  relinquished  even  by 
some  of  his  professed  disciples.     Holding  such  a  principle, 
they  were  prepared  to  adopt  other  opinions  equally  prepos- 
terous and  unchristian.     To  this,  perhaps,  should  be  attribu- 
ted, in  part,  at  least,  the  antinomianism  and  perfectionism 
of  some  of  the  heretics  in  the  apostolic  age — -so  the  Nicolai- 
tans  and  Simonians — who  maintained  that  they  were  releas- 
ed from  all  obligation  to  the  law,  and  that  none  of  their  ac- 
tions, however  contrary  to  the  letter  of  the  precept,  were 
really  opposed  to  the  divine  will,  and  worthy  of  punish- 
ment :  and  how  could  they,  who  were  parts  of  God,  or 
rather  identical  with  him,  commit  sin?     "The  Gnostics  of 
the  first  and  second  centuries,  and  the  Manichaeans  of  the 
third,  believed  human  souls  to  be  particles  of  the  celestial 
light,  of  the  same  essential  nature  with  God  himself,  and  no 
otherwise  corrupt  or  corruptible,  than  by  being  combined 
with   sinful  matter.     The  new  Platonists  of  Egypt,  held 
substantially  the  same  opinions.   Hieronymus,  in  the  preface 
to  his   dialogues  against.  Pelagius,  says  that  ManichEeus, 
Precillian,  Evagrinus,  Hyperborius,  Flavinian,  Origen,  and 
the  Menalians  of  Syria,  were  Perfectionists.*"     The  breth- 
ren and  sisters  of  the  Free  Spirit,  in  the  thirteenth,  fourteenth 
and  fifteenth  centuries,  held  that  all  things  flowed  by  ema- 
nation from  God;  that  rational  souls  were  poriions  of  the, 
divine  essence;  that  the  universe  was  God ;  and  that  by 
the  power  of  contemplation,  they  were  united  to  the  Deity, 
and  acquired  hereby  a  glorious  and  sublime  liberty,  both 
from  sinful  lusts,  and  the  common  instincts  of  nature.J     "  In 
the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  disciples  of 
Michael  de  Molinos  in  Spain,  France,  and  Italy,  were  Per- 
fectionists.'-^    It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  in  none  of  all 

*  free  the  Princeton  Review,  Vol.  13,  p.  539. 
j  Literary  and  Theological  Review,  Vol.  3,  p.  28. 
1  Hack's  Theological  Diet,  and  Mosheim. 
$  Lit.  and  The.  Review,  ut  supra. 


these,  during  so  many  successive  centuries,  do  we  trace  any 
evidence  of  the  belief  of  the  direct  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
on  the  heart,  turning  its  affections  to  God,  and  securing  the 
perfection  of  its  obedience.  For  the  most  part,  they  assert- 
ed, that  regeneration  and  complete  deliverance  from  sin 
could  be  effected  by  contemplation,  and  the  soul  thus  be  so 
identified  with  God,  as  to  constitute  them  not  two  things 
united,  but  one  being  ;  and  in  this  way,  they  explained  the 
indwelling  and  controlling  agency  of  the  Most  High  in  man. 
Of  the  reality  and  presence  of  native  moral  corruption,  as 
maintained  by  consistent  Calvinists,  they  seem  to  have  had 
no  conception.'"  Pelagius  and  Celestius,  in  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, who  denied  the  innate  sinfulness  of  the  human  heart, 
and  the  consequent  necessity  of  efficacious  grace  in  its 
renewal,  maintained,  with  entire  systematic  consistency, 
that  men  might  live  without  sin  during  the  whole  period  of 
their  life ;  that  some  had  actually  so  lived  for  many  years, 
and  that  others,  restored  by  repentance  after  transgression, 
had  subsequently  continued  perfect  in  holiness  to  the  close 
of  their  days.t  The  primitive  Quakers,  the  French  Proph- 
ets, the  Shakers,  Jemima  Wilkinson,  Joanna  Southcott,  and 
the  great  body  of  Mystics  in  every  communion,  held  to 
perfection  in  this  life,  as  the  attainment  of  the  privileged 
few  ;  and  the  advocates  of  this  doctrine  have  usually  repre- 
sented the  denial  of  it  as  involving  great  licentiousness,  and 
a  state  of  utter  spiritual  bondage.  The  views  of  the  famous 
John  Wesley,  the  father  of  Arminian  Methodism,  are  well 
known  to  the  reading  part  of  the  religious  community.  He 
affirmed,  as  Whitfield  asserts,  «  that  no  Baptist  or  Presby- 
terian writer,  whom  he  had  ever  read,  knew  any  thing  of 
the  liberties  of  Christ ;"  to  which  statement  Whitfield  re- 
plied, in  his  own  pointed  and  emphatical  manner — "  What ! 
neither  Bunyan,  Henry,  Flavel,  Halyburton,  nor  any  of  the 
New-England  and  Scotch  Divines?  See,  dear  sir,  what 
narrow-spiritedness  and  want  of  charity  arise  from  your 
principles  ;  and  then  do  not  say  aught  against  election  any 
more,  on  account  of  its  being  destructive  of  meekness  and 
love.  I  know  you  think  meanly  of  Abraham,  though  he 
was  eminently  called  the  friend  of  God,  and  I  believe  also 
of  David,  the  man  after  God's  own  heart. "t     Wesley  gives 

*  Lit.  and  Theol.  Review,  ut  supra. 

\  Lit.  and  Th.  Review,  Vol.  o,  p.  29,  where  wo  h;ivo  in  a  note  a  curious  spe- 
cimen of  the  arguments  of  Celestius  on  this  subject.  AUo  Wigger's  Hist,  of 
Augustinism  and  r'clsgianism. 

*  Gillie's  Life  of  Whitfield,  New-Haven  edition,  1812,  p.  256. 


us  an  account  of  the  steps  by  which  he  was  led,  during  a 
course  of  many  years,  to  embrace  what  he  calls  the  doctrine 
of  "  Christian  perfection,"  which,  as  he  explains  it,  though 
it  includes  the  idea  of  freedom  from  sin,  implies  neither  per- 
fection in  knowledge  nor  infallibility,  nor  security  against 
temptations  and  infirmities.*  According  to  the  system  of 
the  Romish  church,  good  men  may  not  only  attain  to  per- 
fection, but  perform,  moreover,  works  of  supererogation, 
serving  as  a  fund  of  merit,  for  the  advantage  of  believers  of 
inferior  spiritual  attainments. 

It  is  not  till  lately  that  Perfectionism  has  been  professed 
within  the  pale  of  Congregational  and  Presbyterian  church- 
es. By  our  fathers  it  was  accounted  heresy,  inconsistent 
with  the  express  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  contradictory 
to  Christian  experience,  and  subversive  of  the  entire  scheme 
of  the  gospel.  But,  in  consequence  of  certain  Pelagian 
speculations,  concerning  moral  agency,  human  ability,  and 
the  divine  influence  in  sanctification, — errors  that  have  be- 
come extensively  popular — individuals,  once  reputed  most 
zealous  for  revivals  of  religion,  have  been  led  to  join  Pela- 
gius  and  other  kindred  spirits,  in  their  views  of  the  attaina- 
bleness  of  perfection  in  the  present  life.  Such,  as  we  believe, 
is  the  philosophical  origin  of  Perfectionism,  as  held  by  the 
professors  at  Oberlin,  and  their  theological  friends. 

That  we  may  not  misrepresent  the  meaning  of  those  to 
whom  we  refer,  we  will  state  their  doctrine  of  perfection  in 
their  own  language.  "What  is  perfection  in  holiness  ?  In 
answer  to  this  inquiry  I  would  remark,"  says  Mr.  Mahan,t 
"  that  perfection  in  holiness  implies  a  full  and  perfect  dis- 
charge of  our  entire  duty,  of  all  existing  obligations  in  re- 
spect to  God  and  all  other  beings.  It  is  perfect  obedience 
to  the  moral  law."  With  respect  to  the  attainableness  of 
perfection  in  this  life,  the  same  writer  says,  "  We  have  evi- 
dence just  as  conclusive,  that  perfect  and  perpetual  holiness 
is  promised  to  Christians,  as  we  have  that  it  is  required  of 
them."  "  We  have  the  same  evidence  from  scripture,  that 
all  Christians  may,  and  that  some  of  them  will,  attain  to 
a  stale  of  entire  sanctification  in  this  life,  that  they  will 
attain  to  that  state  in  heaven."  "There  is  positive  evi- 
dence that  some  of  them  did  attain  to  this  state."  Mr. 
Finney  affirms,  and  in  this,  we  suppose,  he  expresses  the 

»  Wesley's  plain  account  of  Christian  Perfection,  New-York  edition,  1837, 
pp.  3,  18,  and  passim, 
f  Christian  Perfection,  pp.  4,  37,  38. 


opinion  of  his  associates  at  Oberlin,  that  sinless  perfection 
for  the  time  being,  is  implied  in  the  lowest  degree  of  true 
piety.  "  It  seems  to  be  a  very  general  opinion,"  says  he, 
"  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  imperfect  obedience  to  God  ; 
(i.  e.)  as  it  respects  one  and  the  same  act,  but  I  cannot  see 
how  an  imperfect  obedience,  relating  to  one  and  the  same 
act  can  be  possible.  Imperfect  obedience  !  What  can  be 
meant  by  this,  but  disobedient  obedience  !  a  sinful  holiness  ! 
Now,  to  decide  the  character  of  any  act,  we  are  to  bring  it 
into  the  light  of  the  law  of  God ;  if  agreeable  to  this  law,  it 
is  obedience — it  is  right — wholly  right.  If  it  is  in  any  re- 
spect different  from  what  the  law  of  God  requires,  it  is 
wrong — wholly  wrong."*  Here  Ave  have  the  doctrine  that 
all  Christians  are  sometimes  perfect,  or  are  perfect  so  far  as 
they  have  any  true  holiness  ;  and  it  is  a  very  natural  infer- 
ence from  such  premises,  that  believers  may  attain  to  a  con- 
firmed state  of  perfection  in  the  present  life.  This  conclu- 
sion is  adopted  by  Mr.  Finney,  as  well  as  by  Mr.  Mahan. 

To  disprove  the  perfectionism  taught  in  the  above  ex- 
tracts, or  to  show  that  none  of  the  saints  are  entirely  free 
from  sin  in  the  present  life,  will  be  our  object  in  this  essay. 

We  shall  begin  with  noticing  the  principal  arguments, 
which  are  commonly  adduced  by  perfectionists  of  different 
descriptions,  in  support  of  their  views  of  this  subject.  We 
shall  next  exhibit  direct  evidence  of  the  sinful  imperfection  of 
the  heart  of  the  saints  in  this  life  ;  and  lastly,  we  shall  show 
the  great  practical  importance  of  the  doctrine  for  which  we 
contend,  in  opposition  to  the  error  which  it  controverts. 

The  arguments  of  the  Perfectionists  are  first  to  be  con- 
sidered. 

The  command  of  God  requires  perfection,  is  one  of  their 
arguments.  Answer.  It  is  doubtless  true,  that  the  Most 
High  does  command  us  to  be  perfect ;  and  to  enjoin  any 
thing  less  than  perfection,  would  be  inconsistent  with  his 
own  purity,  and  those  eternal  principles  of  rectitude,  accor- 
ding to  which  he  governs  the  universe.  The  law  expresses 
his  feelings  towards  moral  objects  ;  but  it  leaves  wholly 
undetermined  the  question,  whether  his  rational  creatures 
will  acknowledge,  or  reject  his  authority.  His  command, 
in  any  instance,  neither  supposes  that  it  will  be  obeyed,  nor 
implies  any  insincerity  in  him,  provided  he  foresees  that  it 
will  not  be  obeyed.     The  contrary  supposition  would  be 

•  Obeilin  Evangelist,  Vol.  1. 


8 

incompatible  with  some  of  the  most  undeniable  facts  of  re- 
vealed religion.  Does  the  divine  command  to  be  perfect, 
prove  that  some  may,  or  will  obey  this  righteous  precept? 
Then,  for  the  same  reason,  the  divine  prohibition  of  all  sin 
in  mankind,  equally  proves  that  some  of  them  may  pass 
through  a  long  life  without  a  single  act  of  transgression.  It 
is  by  no  means  certain,  therefore,  that  all  the  human  race 
are  or  have  been  sinners ;  and,  of  course,  the  doctrine  of 
universal  depravity,  unequivocally  and  frequently  as  it  is 
taught  in  the  scriptures,  may  be  false.  It  is  as  easy 
to  imagine  that  some  never  sin,  as  that  they  become 
perfectly  holy  after  they  have  acquired  a  sinful  character. 
The  opinion  of  Pelagius  with  regard  to  this  subject,  was, 
therefore,  more  specious  and  more  logical  than  is  the 
notion  of  those  who  make  God's  requirement  of  perfect 
sanctification  an  argument  that  some  are  perfectly  sanctified 
in  this  life ;  while,  with  strange  inconsistency,  they  assert 
the  universal  moral  depravity,  anterior  to  conversion,  of 
such  of  mankind  as  have  sufficient  knowledge  to  be  moral 
agents.  Besides,  entire  holiness  is  plainly  obligatory  on  all 
rational  creatures  ;  and  no  strength  of  depraved  affection  or 
hopelessness  of  condition  can  release  any  from  the  demands 
of  the  law  of  God.  On  this  principle,  the  devils  in  their 
place  of  torment,  are  bound  to  love  their  Maker,  and  yield 
themselves  implicitly  to  his  authority.  To  say  they  are  not 
thus  bound,  is  to  take  their  part  against  their  Maker,  and 
pronounce  them  entirely  excusable  and  innocent  in  their 
present  rebellion,  rage  and  blasphemy.  But  does  it  follow, 
because  they  are  under  law,  that  they  will,  therefore,  ever 
return  to  their  duty  ?  The  Bible,  on  the  other  hand,  assures 
us,  that  their  misery,  and  consequently,  their  enmity  to  God, 
will  be  without  end. 

The  command  of  God,  it  is  alleged,  implies  our  ability  to 
obey;  and  it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  where  ability 
exists,  it  will,  sometimes  at  least,  manifest  itself  by  obedi- 
ence. This  argument  has  been  strongly  urged,  both  to 
account  for  the  existence  of  sin,  (for  where  there  is  ability 
to  obey,  there  is  also  supposed  to  be  ability  to  disobey,  or 
"the  power  of  contrary  choice,")  and  to  show  the  practica- 
bility of  obedience,  in  the  highest  degree,  to  all  the  divine 
requisitions.  "  Were  it  not,"  says  Mr.  Finney,*  "  that  there 
is  a  sense  in  which  a  man's  heart  may  be  better  than  his 

*  Lectures  on  Revivals  of  Religion,  p.  17. 


9 

head,  I  should  feel  bound  to  maintain,  that  pelfcons  holding 
this  sentiment,  that  man  is  unable  to  obey  God  without  the 
Spirit's  agency,  were  no  Christians  at  all — obligation  is  only 
commensurate  with  ability."  Again  he  says,*  "certain  it 
is  that  men  are  able  to  resist  the  utmost  influence  that  the 
truth  can  exert  upon  them,  and  therefore  have  ability  to 
defeat  the  wisest,  most  benevolent,  and  most  powerful  exer- 
tions which  the  Holy  Spirit  can  make  to  effect  their  sancti- 
fication."  Mr.  Mahan  says,t  "  I  infer  that  a  state  of  perfect 
holiness  is  attainable  in  this  life,  from  the  commands  of 
scripture,  addressed  to  Christians  under  the  new  covenant." 
The  philosophy,  from  which  perfection  is  thus  inferred,  had 
been  previously  asserted  by  certain  divines  of  celebrity  in 
Connecticut.  In  proof  of  this,  the  reader  is  referred  to  two 
or  three  citations  from  the  Christian  Spectator,  formerly 
published  at  New-Haven.  « Free  moral  agents  can  do 
wrong  under  all  possible  preventing  influence.''^  "We 
know  that  a  moral  system  necessarily  implies  the  existence 
of  free  agents,  with  the  power  to  act  in  despite  of  all  oppo- 
sing power.  This  fact  sets  human  reason  at  defiance,  in 
every  attempt  to  prove  that  some  of  these  agents  will  not 
use  that  power  and  actually  sin."§  Again:  "God  not 
only  prefers  on  the  whole  that  his  creatures  should  forever 
perform  their  duties  rather  than  neglect  them,  but  purposes 
on  his  part  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  promote  this  very  object 
of  his  kingdom." ||  In  all  these  statements,  the  implication 
is  clear,  that  men  are,  of  course,  able  to  do  whatever  God 
requires  of  them  ;  and  that  the  mind  is  in  reality  self-moved 
in  all  its  moral  exercises. 

We  readily  admit  that  men  have  the  requisite  faculties  to 
obey  God,  in  other  words,  that  they  are  moral  agents.  And 
this  is  often  what  is  meant  by  natural  ability.  We  admit 
also  that  the  inability  of  sinners  is  a  moral  inability,  inas- 
much as  it  relates  to  moral  objects,  arises  from  moral  causes, 
and  is  removed  by  a  moral  change.  The  possession,  how- 
ever, of  natural  ability,  in  the  sense  just  stated,  does  not 
blish  the  conclusion  contended  for  in  the  preceding  argu- 
ment. Because  men  or  devils  have  the  requisite  intellectual 
or  physical  faculties  to  serve  their  Creator,  does  it  certainly 
follow,  that  they  will  serve  him?     As  it  regards  moral 

*  Oberlin  Evangelist,  Lcct.  21,  p.  193.     f  Christian  Perfection,  p.  28. 
\  Christian  Spectator,  1830,  p.  563.   §  Ibid,  1831,  p.  617.   ||  Ibid,  1832,  p.  660. 

2 


10 

ability,  it  is  absurd  to  imagine  that  the  rule  of  duty  is  to  be 
measured  by  this.  On  this  supposition,  there  is  really  no 
rule  of  right  except  the  inclinations  of  creatures ;  or,  guilt 
is  diminished  in  proportion  to  the  stubbornness  and  viru- 
lence of  the  principle  of  evil  to  be  overcome  ;  which  is  but 
saying,  in  other  language,  that  the  more  sinful,  the  more 
bent  on  rebellion  any  one  is,  the  less  is  he  to  blame  for  his 
disobedience.  Mankind  by  nature,  then,  are  perfectly  inno- 
cent in  hating  God,  and  in  rejecting  the  manifold  overtures 
of  the  gospel ;  for  it  is  clear  from  this  inspired  volume,  that 
they  are  "  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  Their  disinclina- 
tion to  obedience  is  affirmed  to  be  so  great,  that  it  can  be 
overcome  by  nothing  less  than  the  direct  exertion  of  Al- 
mighty power.  "No  man,"  says  Christ,  "can  come  unto 
me,  except  the  Father  who  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  Ac- 
cordingly, the  commencement  of  holiness  in  the  sinner's 
heart  is  again  and  again  described  by  such  phrases  as  indi- 
cate the  highest  manifestation  of  the  immediate  and  creative 
agency  of  God.  It  is  the  donation  of  a  new  heart — a  sec- 
ond birth — a  new  creation — a  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
These  figures,  strong  as  they  are,  are  doubtless  used  with 
the  utmost  propriety,  as  most  happily  expressive  of  the 
inveteracy  of  the  evil  disposition  to  be  vanquished,  of  the 
sinner's  moral  helplessness,  and  of  his  absolute  dependance 
on  sovereign  grace.  The  continuance  of  believers  in  obe- 
dience is  also  constantly  ascribed  to  the  same  power  by 
which  they  were  originally  renewed  after  the  image  of 
God.  "  Without  me,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "  you  can  do 
nothing."  "Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have  chosen 
you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring  forth 
fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain."  Here  we  learn 
that  the  growth  of  the  fruit  in  the  first  instance,  and  its  per- 
manency afterwards,  are  both  owing  to  the  choice,  purpose, 
and  effectual  agency  of  the  Redeemer.  "  We  are  not  suffi- 
cient of  ourselves,"  says  Paul,  "  to  think  any  thing  as  of 
ourselves  ;  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  "  Being  confi- 
dent of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good 
work  in  God,  will  perform  (finish)  it  until  the  day  of  Jesus 
Christ."  The  good  work  here  intended,  is  doubtless,  as 
appears  from  the  connexion,  the  implantation  of  holiness  in 
the  heart  by  the  efficacious  grace  of  God.  "  Who  are  kept," 
says  Peter,  "  by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  sal- 
vation." From  these  passages,  and,  indeed,  from  the  whole 
tenor  of  the  Bible,  it  is  evident,  that,  whatever  may  be 


11 

men's  natural  power,  or  freedom  as  moral  agents,  their  de- 
praved propensities  present  as  effectual  an  obstacle  to  obe- 
dience, as  the  want  of  liberty  itself  would  do.  At  the  same 
time,  they  arc  constantly  blamed  for  that  disinclination,  or 
moral  inability,  which,  but  for  the  interposition  of  omnipo- 
tent grace,  insures  their  destruction.  They  have  ruined 
themselves  ;  and  their  only  hope  is  in  the  mercy  and  uncon- 
querable might  of  their  injured  Creator,  who  may  justly 
leave  them  to  perish  in  their  perverseness.  There  is  no 
reason,  then,  for  the  conclusion,  that  because  men  have  the 
natural  ability,  they  will,  therefore,  obey  the  law  of  God, 
any  more  than  there  is  ground  for  arguing  with  Pelagius, 
that  a  portion  of  the  human  race  will  live  without  sin,  from 
the  commencement  of  their  existence  till  death  ;  and,  con- 
sequently, that  for  them,  no  repentance,  no  pardon,  no 
Saviour,  will  be  necessary  ;  or,  than  there  is  ground  for 
inferring  with  Universalists,  the  future  probable,  if  not  cer- 
tain, return  of  devils  and  the  spirits  of  lost  men  in  hell,  to 
their  duty  and  to  happiness.  The  argument  from  ability, 
therefore,  in  this  instance,  is  of  too  wide  a  sweep  in  its  gene- 
ral application,  to  be  admitted  as  of  any  force  ;  for  it  mani- 
festly goes  to  undermine  the  whole  gospel,  and  overthrow 
all  the  revealed  principles  of  the  moral  government  of  God. 

Another  argument,  connected  with  the  foregoing,  in 
favour  of  Perfectionism,  is  founded  in  an  erroneous  philoso- 
phy concerning  the  nature  of  sin.  This  affirms,  that  those 
propensities  which  we  cannot  overcome  by  the  force  of  our 
own  sovereign  determination,  are  merely  constitutional  sus- 
ceptibilities, or  physical  attributes,  having  no  moral  charac- 
ter, the  extirpation,  or  extinguishment  of  which  is,  conse- 
quently, not  necessary  to  sinless  perfection.  Thus  it  has 
been  argued,  that  the  most  selfish  innate  desires  and  pas- 
sions are  in  themselves  innocent,  being  nothing  more  than 
incentives  or  occasions  to  sin,  which  must  be  expected  to 
continue  after  the  heart  has  become  completely  sanctified. 

This  summary  method  of  disposing  of  the  subject  must 
doubtless  be  very  gratifying  to  those  who  choose  rather 
to  find  an  apology  for  their  sins,  than  to  confess  and  mourn 
over  them  before  God.  Where  there  is  no  sin,  there  is 
surely  no  occasion  for  godly  sorrow  on  account  of  sin. 
Let  the  standard  of  duty  be  low  enough,  and  it  will  be  easy 
to  show  that  perfection  belongs  to  many  men,  or  to  all  men, 
or  even  to  the  inhabitants  of  hell  themselves.  Suppose,  for 
example,  that  malice,  hatred  of  God,  enmity  to  creatures, 


12 

and  furious  blasphemy,  under  circumstances  of  hopeless 
suffering,  are  not  criminal ;  and  it  will  follow,  incontrover- 
tibly,  that  these  feelings  and  acts  are  perfectly  innocent  in 
Satan  and  his  hosts,  in  their  present  state  of  misery.  God 
cannot,  therefore,  with  propriety  punish  them  for  their  pre- 
sent irreconcileable  malignity,  and  that  conduct  which  flows 
spontaneously  from  their  hearts.  In  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject, the  devils  are  as  truly  perfect  now,  as  they  were  when 
they  existed  enthroned  seraphs  in  the  heavenly  paradise. 
Their  condition  has,  indeed,  been  changed ;  but  then  the 
divine  law  has  been  altered  to  suit  their  new  condition. 
To  bring  this  reasoning  to  bear  on  the  case  before  us — if  the 
natural  passions  of  anger,  revenge,  covetousness,  pride  and 
ambition  be  not  in  themselves  wrong,  and  if  nothing  but 
strong  resolutions  against  sin,  a  resistance  of  our  evil  pro- 
pensities, a  devout  and  moral  life,  and  reliance  on  the  grace 
of  Christ,  be  needful  to  constitute  a  sinless  character,  then 
we  admit  that  many  of  the  human  race  have  attained  to 
perfection  in  this  life.  Yea,  verily,  according  to  this  phi- 
losophy, sinless  perfection  is  consistent  with  an  eternal 
war  in  the  breast  between  principle  and  passion ;  and,  as 
there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  the  physical  attributes  of  the 
soul  will  continue  after  death,  it  is  next  to  certain  that  the 
saints  in  glory  will  be  obliged  to  maintain  an  unceasing 
conflict  with  such  innocent  things  as  their  love  of  self-indul- 
gence, their  fondness  for  distinction  and  power,  and  their 
constitutional  susceptibility  to  resentment  and  revenge.  Deny 
the  principle  of  concupiscence  to  be  sinful,  and  what  hinders 
its  existence,  its  disquieting  irruptions,  its  violent  onsets  even 
within  the  walls  of  New  Jerusalem? 

This  philosophy  requires  an  exposition  of  the  law,  en- 
tirely contrary  to  the  scriptures.  The  sacred  volume  con- 
demns the  first  risings  of  inordinate  desire,  and,  of  course, 
all  vicious  tendencies  to  transgression  in  the  soul.  "  Whoso 
hateth  his  brother,  is  a  murderer."  "  Whosoever  looketh 
upon  a  woman  to  lust  after  her,  hath  committed  adultery 
wilh  her  already  in  his  heart."  It  requires  us,  not  merely 
in  choose  and  strive  niter,  but  to  possess  and  exercise  right 
affections  and  passions;  to  love  God  and  our  neighbour;  to 
feel  kindly  even  to  our  enemies.  «  Thou  shalt  not  covet," 
is  one  of  its  express  prohibitions.  Yet  coveting  may  exist, 
when  from  the  restraints  of  conscience  and  fear  there  is  no 
effort,  no  purpose,  to  obtain  the  desired  object.  The  affec- 
tion is  wrong  and  is  forbidden,  though  it  lead  to  no  corrcs- 


13 

pondent  external  acts,  or  conscious  determinative  volition  of 
the  mind. 

It  was  an  apprehension  of  the  spirituality  of  the  law 
which  convinced  the  Pharisee,  Saul  of  Tarsus,  of  the  ex- 
ceeding corruption  of  his  heart,  and  destroyed  all  his  self- 
righteous  hopes.  "  I  had  not  known  sin  but  by  the  law  ; 
for  I  had  not  known  lust,"  (concupiscence,)  that  is,  I  had  not 
known  that  it  was  sin,  "  except  the  law  had  said,  thou  shalt 
not  covet."  "  For  I  was  alive  without  "  (a  just  apprehen- 
sion and  sense  of)  "  the  law  once  ;  but  when  the  command- 
ment came,"  (with  a  clear  view  of  its  spiritual  requirements, 
and  immutable  obligation,)  "  sin  revived,  and  I  died."  Thus 
plain  it  is,  that,  whether  we  call  the  principle  of  concupi- 
scence constitutional  or  not,  it  is  still  sinful  in  the  eye  of  the 
law.  Words  may  create  confusion  in  the  mind  ;  but  they 
do  not  change  the  nature  of  things.  So  long  as  the  Chris- 
tian is  agitated  in  any  degree,  by  excessive  or  ill-directed 
devices,  he  is  deficient  in  his  obedience,  and  therefore  con- 
tinues to  be  a  transgressor. 

Changing  his  ground,  the  advocate  of  the  doctrine  of  per- 
fection in  this  life  sometimes  asserts,  that  though  Christians 
cannot  accomplish  their  own  sanctification,  and  ought  not 
to  attempt  it,  yet  if  they  cast  themselves  upon  Christ  for  this 
boon,  it  will  be  bestowed  upon  them.  Instead  of  working 
themselves,  they  must  come  to  Christ  to  work  in  them,  both 
to  will  and  to  do,  and  he  will  make  them  perfect.  This 
notion,  too,  is  affirmed  by  the  very  men  who  contend,  when 
it  suits  their  purpose,  that  sinners  have  perfect  ability  to 
change  their  own  hearts,  and  believers  perfect  ability  to  do 
all  that,  is  required  of  them.  "  I  am  willing  to  proclaim  it 
to  the  world,"  says  Mr.  Mahan,*  "that  I  now  look  to  the 
very  God  of  peace  to  sanctify  me  wholly."  "  I  have  for- 
ever given  up  all  idea  of  resisting  temptation,  subduing  any 
lust,  appetite,  or  propensity,  or  of  acceptably  performing 
any  service  for  Christ,  by  the  mere  force  of  my  own  resolu- 
tions. If  any  propensities  which  lead  to  sin  are  sacrificed, 
I  know  that  it  must  be  done  by  an  indwelling  Christ."  "  If 
you  will  cease  from  all  efforts  of  your  own,  and  bring  your 
sins  and  sorrows  and  cares  and  propensities  which  lead  to 
sin,  to  Christ,  and  cast  them  all  upon  him,  if,  with  implicit 
faith,  you  will  hang  your  whole  being  upon  him,  and  make 
it  the  great  object  of  life  to  know  him,  for  the  purpose  of 

*  Christian  Perfection,  pp.  189,  190,  191. 


14 

receiving  and  reflecting  his  image — you  will  find  that  all 
the  exceeding  great  and  precious  promises  of  his  word  are, 
in  your  own  blissful  experience,  a  living  reality."  "  You 
shall  have  a  perpetual  and  joyful  victory."  "  Every  where, 
and  under  all  circumstances,  your  peace  in  Christ  shall  be 
as  a  river." 

From  these,  and  other  similar  passages  in  the  writings  of 
the  new  Perfectionists,  it  would  seem  that  Christians  have 
nothing  to  do  but  to  lie  passively  in  the  hands  of  Christ,  and 
"roll  the  responsibility"  of  their  sanctifi.cation  upon  him. 
What  mean,  then,  the  numerous  scriptural  inculcations  upon 
believers  to  strive,  to  run,  to  wrestle,  to  fight,  to  put  on  the 
whole  armour  of  God  ?  It  is  manifest  from  the  inspired 
volume,  that  we  are  to  come  to  Christ,  not  for  the  purpose 
of  saving  ourselves  the  trouble  of  a  personal  warfare,  but 
that  we  may  engage  in  such  a  warfare  with  good  motives, 
with  becoming  zeal,  with  persevering  energy,  and  with 
success.  The  effect  of  faith  is  not  drowsiness,  but  vigilance  ; 
not  self-satisfied  repose,  but  self-distrust ;  not  siothfulness, 
but  untiring  activity.  When  Christ  works  in  us,  both  to 
will  and  to  do,  of  his  own  good  pleasure,  it  is  that  sustain- 
ed, quickened  by  his  power,  we  may  work  out  our  own  sal- 
vation with  fear  and  trembling.  The  present  is  not  the  first 
time  in  which  Pelagian  self-sufficiency  and  Antinomian 
indolence  have  been  found  co-inhabitants  of  the  same  dwell- 
ing, interchangeably  occupying  one  another's  places,  and 
adopting  one  another's  phraseology.  But  how  are  these 
apparent  contradictions  to  be  reconciled  ?  They  cannot  be ; 
yet,  after  all,  it  is  not  intended  by  the  writers  to  whom  we 
refer,  to  ascribe  all  holiness  to  divine  agency.  Their  mean- 
ing appears  to  be,  that  Christ  will  sanctify  us  wholly,  if  we 
look  to  him  for  such  a  blessing ;  yet  there  is  no  provision, 
in  their  system,  to  secure  the  act  of  looking  itsrlf.  Man 
begins  to  turn,  and  God  completes  the  sanctilication  of 
man.  Hence  it  is  affirmed,  that,  notwithstanding  1 1  ic  promi- 
ses of  the  new  covenant,  insuring  perfection  in  this  life, 
comparatively  few  of  the  saints  do  ever  become  perfect  on 
this  side  of  the  grave. 

The  fact  that  the  saints  are  in  scripture  sometimes  said  to 
be  perfect,  has  been  alleged  as  another  argument  in  favour 
of  Perfectionism. 

We  answer,  that  the  word  perfection  is  used  in  different 
senses.  It  is  sometimes  employed  to  express  advancement 
and  maturity  in  the  Christian  character  and  in  knowledge, 


15 

as  distinguished  from  the  comparatively  low  conceptions, 
weakness  and  inconsistencies  of  mere  infants  in  the  divine 
life.  "  We  speak  wisdom  among  them  that  are  perfect,"  that 
is,  the  thoroughly  instructed.  "  Let  us  therefore,  as  many  as 
be  perfect,  be  thus  minded."  It  is  sometimes  used  to  de- 
note evangelical  uprightness,  or  sincere  piety,  in  distinction 
from  an  empty  profession  of  godliness.  In  this  sense  of  the 
word,  perfection  belongs  to  all  real  saints.  Thus  the  Psalm- 
ist says,  "Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  upright, 
for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace."  Here  perfect  and  up- 
right, agreeably  to  a  well  known  rule  of  Hebrew  construc- 
tion, are  evidently  synonymous  terms.  A  perfect  man,  in 
this  place  then,  is  a  man  who  is  sincere  in  his  religious  pro- 
fession, a  real  friend  of  God,  and  an  heir  of  heaven.  The 
wicked  are  said  to  "  shoot  in  secret  at  the  perfect,"  that  is, 
at  the  regenerated  children  of  God.  '•'  For  the  upright," 
says  Solomon,  "shall  dwell  in  the  land,  and  the  perfect 
shall  remain  in  it."  In  this  passage,  too,  the  terms  upright- 
ness and  perfection  have  the  same  meaning.  Noah  is  said 
to  have  been  a  perfect  man  ;  yet  the  phrase  is  immediately 
explained  as  signifying  the  reality  of  his  piety,  or  his  hum- 
ble walk  with  God.  That  he  was  not  without  the  remains 
of  moral  corruption,  is  manifest  from  a  subsecment  instance 
of  intoxication,  with  which  he  is  charged  in  the  scriptures. 
Job  is  also  affirmed  to  be  a  perfect  man.  But  that  it  was 
not  intended  to  assert  his  freedom  from  sin,  is  apparent  from 
his  conduct,  which  is  recorded,  for  he  afterwards  cursed  the 
day  of  his  birth.  He,  also,  himself  confessed  his  want  of 
sinless  perfection.  "If  I  justify  myself,  mine  own  mouth 
shall  condemn  me  :  if  I  say  I  am  perfect,  it  shall  also  prove 
me  perverse."  "  If  I  wash  myself  with  snow-water,  and 
make  my  hands  never  so  clean,  yet  shalt  thou  plunge  me  in 
the  ditch,  and  mine  own  clothes  shall  abhor  me."  "  Behold 
I  am  vile  ;  what  shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I  will  lay  mine  hand 
upon  my  mouth."  In  the  same  sense  we  are  to  understand 
the  phrase  as  used- by  Hezekiah,  when  he  says,  "Remem- 
ber now,  how  I  have  walked  before  thee  in  truth,  and  with 
a  perfect,  that  is,  with  a  sincere  heart."  That  sinless  per- 
fection was  not  intended,  seems  evident  from  what  the 
scriptures  tell  us  concerning  his  conduct  soon  after  the 
prayer,  in  which  these  words  arc  contained.  "  But  Heze- 
kiah rendered  not  again  according  to  the  benefit  done  unto 
him,  for  his  heart  was  lifted  up :  therefore  wrath  was  upon 
him,  and  upon  Judah  and  Jerusalem.     Notwithstanding, 


16 

Hezekiah  humbled  himself  for  the  pride  of  his  heart." 
Most  clearly,  therefore,  though  he  was  perfect  in  the  sense 
of  sincere,  or  truly  pious,  he  was  yet  far  from  being  sinless. 
Of  several  of  the  kings  of  Judah,  it  is  said  that  their  heart 
was  perfect  with  the  Lord,  yet  actions  are  attributed  to 
them  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  supposition,  that  they 
were  exempt  from  all  sinful  defects.  The  obvious  meaning 
of  the  phrase  as  applied  to  those  good  men  is,  that  they  were 
sincere  believers,  and  maintained,  by  their  example  and  pub- 
lic acts,  the  doctrines,  institutions  and  laws  of  true  religion 
in  their  dominions.  It  is  affirmed  of  Zacharias  and  Eliza- 
beth, that  "  they  were  both  righteous  before  God,  walking  in 
all  the  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blame- 
less." In  this  passage,  it  is  plainly  the  design  of  the  inspi- 
red writer  to  teach  us  that  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  were 
eminent  saints,  maintaining  an  example  of  impartial  and 
universal  obedience.  That  he  did  not  mean  to  attribute  to 
them  sinless  obedience  is  manifest,  because  in  the  context 
Zacharias  is  charged  with  criminal  unbelief,  for  which  he  was 
punished  with  the  temporary  loss  of  the  power  of  speech. 
What !  a  perfectly  holy  man  subject  himself  to  the  divine 
displeasure,  and  struck  dumb,  for  his  distrust  of  God's 
word  !  Paul  calls  upon  those  whom  he  had  addressed  as 
perfect,  to  be  followers  of  him,  Phil.  iii.  15,  17 ;  yet,  in  the 
same  connexion  he  says,  "  Not  as  though  I  had  already 
attained,  either  were  already  perfect."  It  is  certain,  there- 
fore, that  in  the  one  instance,  the  word  has  a  different  mean- 
ing from  what  it  has  in  the  other  ;  for  it  is  absurd  to  sup- 
pose that  a  wise  and  humble  man,  who  confessed  himself  to 
be  still  imperfect,  would  exhort  those  whom  he  regarded  as 
sinless,  to  look  to  him  as  an  example.  Some  have  under- 
stood by  the  perfect,  whom  Paul  addressed,  full  grown  men 
in  Christian  knowledge,  in  distinction  from  children.  Ac- 
cordingly, Beza  translates  the  passage  "quotquot  itaque 
adulti  sumus,  hoc  sentiamus." 

One  of  the  arguments  of  Mr.  Mahan,  on  which  he  strongly 
insists,  is  expressed  in  the  following  terms.  "  The  Bible 
positively  affirms,  that  provision  is  made  in  the  gospel  for 
the  attainment  of  a  state  of  perfection,  and  that  to  make 
such  provision  is  one  of  the  great  objects  of  Christ's  redemp- 
tion."* 

This  language  is  ambiguous  in  several  respects.     It  may 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  20. 


17 

mean,  that  God  has  revealed  it  as  his  determination,  that 
his  people,  or  some  of  them,  shall  become  perfect  in  the 
present  world  ;  and,  in  this  sense,  it  is  but  an  assumption  of 
the  doctrine  to  be  proved.  It  may  mean  that  God's  plan 
includes  the  complete  sanctification  of  his  children,  at  some 
future  period  of  their  existence  ;  a  fact  which  no  one  ques- 
tions, and  which  proves  nothing  with  respect  to  the  subject 
in  dispute.  God  has  also  made  provision  for  the  deliver- 
ance of  his  people  from  sickness,  pain  and  all  afflictions, 
and  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  Redeemer's  presence  in  glory  ; 
but  this  purpose  concerning  the  elect,  is  not  accomplished, 
till  they  are  released  from  the  present  world  by  dealh.  Does 
Mr.  Mahan  mean,  that  nothing  hinders  the  perfect  obedience 
of  Christians  but  their  own  culpable  abuse,  or  disregard  of 
their  privileges  ?  Very  well ;  and  it  may  with  equal  truth 
be  said,  that  nothing  different  from  this,  hinders  the  perfect 
obedience  of  impenitent  sinners.  Does  he  mean  merely  that 
believers  might  be  perfect  but  for  their  own  fault  ?  It  is  also 
true,  as  the  apostle  assures  us,  that  the  very  heathen  are 
without  excuse  ;  and  the  damned  themselves  are  doubtless 
inexcusably  criminal  for  their  present  rebellion.  Does  he 
mean,  that  the  atonement  secures  the  perfect  holiness  of 
Christians  in  the  present  life?  This  is  simply  a  begging  of 
the  question  ;  and  it  is  moreover  contradicted  by  fact ;  since 
the  great  body  of  believers  are,  by  the  acknowledgment  of 
Mr.  Mahan  himself,  far  from  perfect  holiness.  Does  he 
mean  that  the  Spirit  of  God  is  able  and  gracious  enough  to 
make  them  perfect?  So  the  Spirit  of  God  is  able  and  gra- 
cious enough  to  make  the  whole  world  perfect,  and  even  to 
exclude  all  sin  from  the  universe.  But  his  power  and  mercy 
are  ever  regulated,  in  their  exercise,  by  his  wisdom  and  his 
supreme  regard  to  the  interests  of  universal  being.  The 
only  question,  in  reference  to  this  subject,  is,  what  is  God's 
revealed  purpose  ?  Has  he  any  where  told  us  that  his 
people,  or  a  part  of  them,  will  become  perfectly  holy  during 
their  abode  in  this  world  ?  If  not,  the  removal  of  external 
obstacles  to  their  perfection  no  more  proves  that  they  will  be 
perfect,  than  God's  readiness  to  receive  every  true  peni- 
tent justifies  the  conclusion,  that  all  mankind  will  repent 
and  cordially  embrace  the  overtures  of  the  gospel.  The 
loose  manner  in  which  Mr.  Mahan  expresses  himself,  makes 
it  difficult  to  say  what  he  does  mean,  except  that  he  intends 
to  assert  that  God  has  done  or  will  do  something  that  ren- 
ders it  certain  a  part  of  his  people  will  grow  to  a  state  of 

3 


lb 

perfection,  before  they  exchange  earth  for  heaven.  Excel- 
lent, therefore,  as  Dr.  Woods's  discussion  of  this  subject 
mainly  is,  we  cannot  agree  with  him  in  saying,  that  "devout 
Christians  and  orthodox  divines  have  in  all  as;es  maintained 
the  same  doctrine"  with  Mr.  Mahan,  concerning  "the  pro- 
visions of  the  gospel."  We  must  know  what  Mr.  Mahan 
means  by  the  provisions  of  the  gospel,  before  we  can  say  any 
thing  like  this.  In  all  "  the  practical  writings  of  Calvin, 
Flavel,  Owen,  Bunyan,  Watts,  Doddridge,  President  Davies, 
and  Good,"  not  a  sentence  can  be  found  which  implies  that 
God  has,  in  such  a  sense,  made  provision  for  the  complete 
sanctification  of  his  children  while  they  "abide  in  the  flesh," 
that  his  plan  includes  this  result  of  his  administration  to- 
wards them  ;  and  if  Mr.  Mahan  does  not  mean  so  much  as 
this,  he  means  nothing  to  his  purpose. 

Mr.  Mahan  also  affirms  that  "  perfection  in  holiness  is 
promised  to  the  Christian  in  the  new  covenant  under  which 
he  is  placed."* 

If  it  be  true,  that  God  has  promised  that  his  people 
shall  become  perfect  in  this  life,  the  question  is  settled. 
But  what  are  the  proofs  adduced  of  this  fact?  Why,  he 
cites  a  number  of  passages,  which,  if  they  are  at  all  relevant 
to  his  design,  prove  that  all  Christians  become  completely 
holy  at  the  moment  of  their  regeneration.  The  promises  he 
mentions  belong  to  all  under  the  new  covenant.  These  are 
contained  in  Jer.  xxxi.  31-34,  and  Heb.  vih.  8-11  ;  Deut. 
xxx.  10  ;  Jer.  i,  20  ;  Mali,  xxxii.  30, 40  ;  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25-27 ; 
Mah.  xxxvii.  23  ;  Is.  lix.  21,  and  Luke  i.  74,  75,  &c.  God 
circumcises  the  hearts  of  all  his  people ;  he  puts  his  law  in 
their  inward  parts  ;  he  takes  away  the  stony  heart  out  of 
their  flesh  ;  and  he  causes  them  to  walk  in  his  statutes.  But 
does  Mr.  Mahan  believe,  (as  he  should,  in  order  to  be  consis- 
tent with  himself,)  that  all  the  elect  are  completely  sancti- 
fied, at  the  very  instant  of  their  conversion  ?  So  far  from 
it  that  he  says,  "  the  great  men  of  the  church  are  slumbering 
in  Antinomian  death,  or  struggling  in  lecal  bondage,  with 
barely  enough  of  the  evangelical  spirit  to  keep  the  pulse  of 
spiritual  life  faintly  beating?'t  But  does  Mr.  Mahan  believe 
that  the  promises  of  the  new  covenant  have  failed,  with  re- 
spect to  "the  great  mass  of  the  church  ?"  How,  then,  can 
he  argue  from  these  promises,  that  any  part  of  the  church 
will  be  completely  sanctified  in  this  life  ?     Again,  he  says, 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  22.  f  Idem,  pp.  100.  101 


10 

"  from  the  evangelical  simplicity  of  their  first  love,  they,  (i.  e. 
the  great  mass  of  Christians,)  fall  into  a  state  of  legal  bon- 
dage, and  after  a  fruitless  struggle  of  vain  resolutions  with 
the  world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil,  they  appear  to  descend 
into  a  kind  of  Antinomian  death."  "  The  spirit  of  Antino- 
mian  slumber  prevails,  and  death,  and  not  a  present  Christ,  is 
looked  for  as  the  great  deliverer  from  bondage."  What 
does  this  mean  ?  Has  God  forgotten  his  covenant?  Or  is 
it  simply  conditional  1  But  a  conditional  covenant,  from  its 
very  nature,  does  not  insure  the  compliance  of  a  single  indi- 
vidual with  its  proposals.  The  truth,  however,  is,  that  the 
promises  enumerated  by  Mr.  Mahan,  have  their  incipient 
fulfilment  here,  and  will  be  accomplished,  in  the  broadest 
extent  of  their  meaning,  hereafter.  God,  therefore,  is  faith- 
ful, though  it  remain  true,  that  none  are  entirely  free  from 
sin  on  this  side  of  heaven. 

Some  have  insisted  on  those  texts,  in  which  God  promi- 
ses to  cleanse  his  people  from  all  sin,  as  an  evidence  that 
they  may  attain  to  perfection  in  this  life. 

In  some  instances,  to  be  cleansed  from  sin,  is  equiva- 
lent to  pardon,  or  gratuitous  justification.  Thus,  in  Ps.  li : 
"Wash  me  thoroughly  from  mine  iniquity,  and  cleanse 
me  from  my  sin ;"  that  is,  save  me  from  the  deserved  conse- 
quences of  my  disobedience.  Again,  in  allusion  to  ceremo- 
nial purification,  which  represented  atoning  blood,  David 
says  in  the  same  psalm,  "  purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  Ishall  be 
clean,  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow."  Thus,  in 
Jer.  xxxiii.  8  :  "  And  I  will  cleanse  them  from  all  their  iniquity, 
whereby  they  have  sinned  against  me."  That  this  refers  to 
justifying  omce,  rather  than  sanctification,  seems  evident 
from  what  immediately  follows — "  and  I  will  pardon  all  their 
iniquities,  whereby  they  have  sinned,  and  whereby  they 
have  transgressed  against  me."  Thus,  also,  in  1  John  i.  7, 
8,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  his  son,  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin."  that  is,  obtaineth  our  pardon  ;  for  it  is  not  the  atone- 
ment, but  a  direct  divine  influence,  which  removes  the 
power  and  pollution  of  sin.  Again  :  "  If  we  confess  our  sins, 
he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse 
us  from  all  unrighteousness."  Here,  to  forgive  sins,  and  to 
cleanse  from  all  unrighteousness,  appear  to  be  equivalent 
phrases.  In  the  sense  of  pardon,  or  free  justification,  all 
believers  are  cleansed  from  sin,  since  they  are  all  acquitted, 
and  viewed  and  treated  as  perfectly  righteous,  for  the  Re* 
deemer's  sake. 


20 

Where  deliverance  from  the  dominion  of  sin  is  promised, 
reference  is  in  part  had  to  what  takes  place  in  this  world, 
but,  more  especially,  to  the  future  perfection  of  the  heavenly 
state.  The  purifying  process  begins  in  the  new  birth,  and 
is  gradually  carried  forward  in  sanctification,  till  the  work 
is  completed  in  glory.  But  how  does  the  promise  of  future 
entire  emancipation  from  the  thraldom  of  sin,  prove  that  this 
blessing  will  be  obtained  immediately,  or  during  the  brief 
term  of  our  earthly  existence?  It  is  also  promised  to  believ- 
ers, that  they  shall  be  delivered  from  all  sorrow,  that  they 
shall  vanquish  completely  death  and  hell,  and  shall  live 
and  reign  with  Christ ;  and  it  might  as  well  be  argued,  that 
these  promises  will  have  their  full  accomplishment  here,  as 
those  which  relate  to  the  entire  purgation  of  the  saints  from 
their  moral  defilement.  The  truth  is,  God's  faithfulness 
peculiarly  appears  in  sustaining  his  people,  amidst  the  temp- 
tations and  difficulties  connected  with  a  state  of  sinful  im- 
perfection, till  death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory.  Every 
good  thing  which  the  Lord  has  spoken  will  be  shortly  ac- 
complished ;  and  is  his  veracity  to  be  distrusted,  because  he 
does  not  give  to  his  children  in  this  world,  the  perfect  rest 
and  triumph  of  heaven  ?  Was  God  unfaithful  to  his  ancient 
saints,  because  he  did  not  send  them  the  promised  Messiah 
in  the  time  of  Moses?  I  may  remark  in  general,  that  if  we 
regard  not  the  scope  of  a  passage,  nor  the  peculiar  import  of 
scriptural  phrases,  nor  the  analogy  of  the  faith,  we  may, 
from  insulated  texts,  deduce  doctrines  as  preposterous  as 
any  that  were  ever  advanced  by  the  greatest  heretics.  Thus 
from  the  passage,  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  world,"  we  might  argue,  in  opposition  to 
the  repeated  declarations,  and  general  tenor  of  the  scriptures, 
that  Christ  sanctifies  or  pardons  and  saves  the  whole  human 
race.  Whereas,  the  truth  intended  to  be  taught  in  these 
words,  is  the  reality,  and  universal  extent  of  the  atonement 
of  Christ. 

"  I  argue,"  says  Mr.  Mahan,*  "  that  perfection  in  holiness 
is  attainable  in  this  life,  and  that  the  sacred  writers  intended 
to  teach  the  doctrine,  from  the  fact,  that  inspired  men  made 
the  attainment  of  this  particular  state  the  subject  of  definite, 
fervent,  and  constant  prayer." 

So  we  have  examples  of  inspired  men,  praying  for  the 
purity  and  blessedness  of  the  heavenly  state.     But  do  be- 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  34. 


21 

lievers,  while  sojourning  on  eartlj,  ever  literally  become 
companions  of  the  glorified  ?  Paul  was  continually  press- 
ing toward  the  mark,  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus;  the  acquisition  of  this  prize  was  the 
object  of  his  most  earnest  labours,  of  his  most  fervent  pray- 
ers :  and  Mr.  Mahan  supposes*  that  the  "  mark  "  at  which 
the  apostle  so  strenuously  aimed,  was  the  "  resurrection  of 
the  dead."  But  was  Paul  actually  raised  from  the  dead, 
during  the  period  of  his  abode  in  this  world  ?  Or,  does  it 
follow,  because  he  continued  to  sigh  and  groan,  being  bur- 
dened, that  he  did  not  pray  in  faith  for  a  glorious  resurrec- 
tion ?  Christ  taught  his  disciples  to  pray,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come,  thy  will  begone  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  This 
prayer  was  offered  by  the  apostles,  and  has  been  offered  by 
the  most  devoted  Christians,  in  all  later  ages  ;  yet  to  this  day, 
much  the  greater  part  of  mankind  continue  the  slaves  of  sin, 
and  ignorant  of  the  way  of  salvation  by  the  Mediator.  Are 
we  to  conclude,  therefore,  that  this  prayer  has  been  so  long, 
and  by  such  multitudes  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth,  offered 
in  vain  ? 

Perfectionists  have  urged  the  prayer  of  Christ,  recorded  in 
John  xvii.  21,  23,  as  a  proof  of  their  doctrine,  "  That  they  all 
may  be  one  ;  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
they  also  may  be  one  in  us  :  that  the  world  may  believe  that 
thou  hast  sent  me."  "  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 
may  be  perfect  in  one."  "  The  union  here  prayed  for,"  says 
Mr.  Mahan,  "  is  a  union  of  perfect  love."  "  We  must  admit 
that  this  love,  and  consequent  union,  will  exist  among  believ- 
ers, or  maintain,  1st,  That  Christ  prayed  for  that  which  he 
requires  us  to  believe  that  it  is  not  for  the  glory  of  God  to 
bestow  upon  his  children.  2d,  That  the  world  are  never  to 
believe  in  Christ."! 

That  this  prayer  was  offered  in  behalf  of  all  God's 
children,  cannot  admit  of  a  doubt.  But  if  it  was  offered 
for  all,  it  has  been  answered  in  part  at  least,  with  respect 
to  all,  since  the  supplications  of  the  Son  are  ever  prevalent 
with  the  Father.  However  imperfect  Christians  may  be,  they 
are  all  united  to  their  head  by  a  Jiving  faith,  they  all  have 
essentially  the  same  views  of  the  gospel ;  they  approve  of 
one  another's  character,  and  rejoice  in  the  prosperity  of  the 
kingdom,  of  which  they  are  all  subjects  ;  they  all  hate  sin, 
and  love  the  same  divine  objects  ;  they  have  all  been  washed 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  GO.  f  Id.  p.  33. 


22 

in  the  same  blood,  have  been  renewed  by  the  same  spirit, 
have  become  partakers  of  the  same  hope,  and  have  been 
made  heirs  of  the  same  salvation.  The  union  among  believ- 
ers, as  it  is  far  more  pure  and  sacred  than  that  which  sub- 
sists among  worldly  men,  is  destined  to  grow  in  strength, 
while  all  earthly  friendships  decay,  and  to  endure  forever. 
Nor,  apparently  defective  as  it  is,  has  it  been  wholly  ineffec- 
tual in  carrying  a  conviction  to  the  ungodly  of  the  divine 
reality  and  power  of  the  gospel.  In  consequence  of  the 
example  of  Christians,  notwithstanding  the  many  inconsis- 
tencies with  which  it  has  been  marred,  the  "  world  "  have 
been  constrained  to  admit  the  divine  mission  and  character 
of  the  Redeemer.  But  Mr.  Mahan  seems  to  suppose  that 
this  prayer  is  not  answered  at  all,  except  with  regard  to 
those  who  become  perfectly  sanctified  in  the  present  life. 
What  must  be  the  inference  ?  Plainly  this — that,  with  re- 
spect to  the  great  body  of  Christians  hitherto,  during  their 
mortal  pilgrimage,  the  prayer  of  the  Saviour  has  been  follow- 
ed by  no  correspondent  effect.  According  to  Mr.  Mahan's 
interpretation,  therefore,  Christ  has  failed  to  secure  the  object 
which  he  sought ;  for  this  writer  supposes  that  comparatively 
few  of  the  saints  have  attained  to  that  perfection,  which  their 
master  prayed  they  should  possess.  But  if  the  prayer  has 
failed  of  an  answer  till  now,  with  respect  to  millions  of  Chris- 
tians, what  evidence  is  there  that  it  will  not  equally  fail,  in 
all  the  future  ages  of  time?  It  is  reasonable,  therefore,  to 
conclude,  not  that  the  great  intercessor  has  prayed  in  vain, 
but  that  the  Perfectionists  have  misapprehended  and  misin- 
terpreted his  prayer.  Our  Lord  said,  "  I  pray  not  thou 
shouldst  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  thou  shouldst 
keep  them  from  the  evil."  The  word  evil  may  be  under- 
stood to  include  both  sin  and  suffering,  as  well  as  the  temp- 
tations and  bufferings  of  Satan.  If,  therefore,  we  forget  facts, 
and  the  general  testimony  of  the  scriptures,  in  our  exposition 
of  particular  texts,  we  may  infer  from  this  last  cited  passage, 
that  all  real  believers  have  done  with  conflicts,  and  enjoy 
perfect  freedom  from  afflictions  and  sorrows. 

Mr.  Mahan  thinks  that  Paul's  proposing  himself  as  an 
example  to  other  Christians,  "  shows  that  he  had  arrived  to 
a  state  of  entire  sanctification."t 

Paul  does  not  propose  himself  as  a  perfect  example. 
He  was  worthy  of  imitation  in  many  respects ;  and  so  are 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  39. 


23 

many  other  good  men,  who  would  he  the  last  persons  on 
earth  to  claim  the  character  of  entire  obedience.  That 
Paul  was  imperfect,  and  that,  after  all  his  attainments, 
he  felt  himself  to  be  so,  will  fully  appear  in  the  sequel.  As 
for  the  passages  which  Mr.  Mahan  cites  to  prove  the  perfec- 
tion of  Paul's  obedience,  they  assert  nothing  more  than  the 
sincerity  of  his  faith,  the  eminency  of  his  self-denial,  and  his 
fidelity  as  an  apostle  and  minister  of  Christ.  "When  he  de- 
clared that  he  was  pure  of  the  blood  of  all  men,  he  referred 
merely  to  the  clearness  and  fulness  with  which  he  had 
preached  the  gospel.  But  can  none,  save  one  who  is  per- 
fectly holy,  declare  to  his  hearers  all  the  counsel  of  God? 

Some  have  considered  1  John,  iii.  9,  as  proving  that  saints 
may  be  entirely  free  from  sin  in  this  life.  "Whosoever  is 
born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin  ;  for  his  seed  remaineth  in 
him,  and  he  cannot  sin,  because  he  is  born  of  God." 

It  is  the  opinion  of  some  writers,  that  the  apostle  here 
refers  to  the  sin  of  total  and  final  apostacy,  against  which 
all  true  Christians  are  secured  by  the  power  and  pre- 
sence of  God.  The  connexion,  however,  seems  to  warrant 
the  conclusion,  that  John's  object  is  to  exhibit  one  of  the  dis- 
tinguishing evidences  of  true  religion,  which  is  obedience. 
Some  in  the  primitive  church  were  Antinomians,  supposing, 
with  many  modern  Perfectionists,  that  Christians  were  freed 
from  the  rule  of  duty,  and  were  at  liberty  to  live  according 
to  their  inclinations.  To  meet  this  impious  dogma,  as  well 
as  excite  believers  to  the  diligent  pursuit  of  holiness,  the 
sacred  writer  affirms  that  regeneration  implies  the  implanta- 
tion of  a  virtuous  "seed,"  or  "principle,"  which,  by  its  own 
proper  tendency,  prompts  to  all  the  works  of  faith  and  labours 
of  love.  The  real  Christian,  therefore,  cannot  be  the  com- 
mitter or  doer  of  sin,  in  such  a  sense  as  implies  an  habitual- 
ly and  totally  depraved  character.  He  longs  for  perfect  holi- 
ness, and  assiduously  strives  to  keep  all  the  commandments 
of  God.  In  other  words,  he  is  habitually  a  new  man,  both 
in  his  heart,  and  in  the  overt  actions  of  his  life.  The  con- 
nexion, both  preceding  and  following  the  text,  accords  with 
this  interpretation.  The  10th  verse  is,  "In  this  the  children 
of  God  are  manifested,  and  the  children  of  the  devil :  who- 
soever doeth  not  righteousness  is  not  of  God,  neither  he  that 
loveth  not  his  brother."  Such  are  the  scope  and  design  of 
the  passage.  The  other  interpretation  is  moreover  attended 
with  difficulties  not  easy  to  be  removed. 

1.  It  overthrows  a  leading  doctrine  of  the  greater  part  of 


24 

the  Perfectionists,  (who  are  Arminians,)  concerning  the  de- 
fectibility  of  the  saints.  Here  we  learn  that  regeneration 
includes  the  idea  of  permanency  or  certain  perseverance  in 
obedience,  "  His  seed  remaineth  in  him."  Most  surely 
then,  Wesleyans  and  other  Arminian  Perfectionists,  ought 
not  to  cite  this  passage  as  an  evidence  of  their  doctrine  ; 
since  if  it  proves  any  thing  in  their  favour,  it  proves  too  much 
for  their  cause. 

2.  Admit  the  interpretation  of  the  Perfectionists,  and  it 
will  follow,  that  none  but  the  perfectly  holy  had  been  born 
of  God,  or  are  real  Christians.  The  language  of  the  apos- 
tle is  very  explicit:  "Whosoever  is  born  of  God,  doth  not 
commit  sin."  If  by  not  committing  sin  here,  be  intended 
absolute  perfection,  then  the  smallest  sin,  either  external  or 
internal,  isoenough  to  demonstrate  a  professor  of  religion  to 
be  a  hypocrite.  On  this  ground,  therefore,  the  difference 
between  saints  and  sinners  must  be,  not  in  the  nature  of  some 
or  all  of  their  exercises,  but  the  perfection  of  the  former, 
and  the  imperfection  of  the  latter.  The  last  part  of  the  text 
is,  if  possible,  stronger  than  the  first :  "  He  cannot  sin, 
because  he  is  born  of  God."  If  the  meaning  be  he  cannot 
sin  at  all,  then  of  course  no  one  who  does  sin  at  all,  has 
within  him  the  smallest  spark  of  true  religion. 

3.  The  interpretation  adopted  by  the  Perfectionists,  makes 
John  contradict  himself  in  this  very  epistle  ;  for  he  does 
expressly  affirm  that  none  of  the  children  of  men  in  this 
world  are  entirely  free  from  sin.  In  chap.i.  ver.  8,  he  tells  us 
"  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin,"  (as  some  pretended  that  all 
their  actions  as  believers  were  pure,)  "  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us."  In  the  language  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  affirmation  that  the  truth  is  not  in  one, 
seems  to  be  the  same  as  saying  that  he  is  not  a  real  Chris- 
tian. Paul  speaks  of  men  of  "  corrupt  minds,  and  destitute 
of  the  truth,"  that  is,  devoid  of  the  Christian  spirit,  or  of 
evangelical  piety.  John  in  the  2d  chapter  of  this  epistle, 
uses  the  same  phrase.  "He  that  saith  I  know  him,  and 
keepeth  not  his  commandments,  is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not 
in  him."  Elsewhere  the  same  apostle  speaks  of  the  truth 
as  being  in  Christians,  as  dwelling  in  them ;  and  them  he 
represents  as  walkers  in  the  truth.  Thus  he  teaches  us  that 
the  boast  of  perfection  indicates  not  superior  sanctity,  but 
gross  self  ignorance,  or  intentional  falsehood,  and  a  desti- 
tution of  the  genuine  traits  of  the  Christian  character.  In 
chap.  iii.  ver.  3,  he  says,  "and  every  one  that  hath  this  hope 


25 

in  him  purifieth  himself  even  as  he  is  pure."  Macknight 
has  the  following  note  on  this  passage.  "  The  apostle,  as 
Beza  observes,  doth  not  say,  hath  purified  himself,  but  puri- 
fieth himself;  to  show  that  it  is  a  good  man's  constant  study 
to  purify  himself,  because  no  man  in  this  life  can  attain  to 
perfect  purity.  By  this  text,  therefore,  as  well  as  by  1  John 
i.  S,  those  fanatics  are  condemned  who  imagine  they  are  able 
to  live  without  sin."  From  the  foregoing  passages,  it  is  appa- 
rent that  John  taught  a  very  different  doctrine  from  that  of 
sinless  perfection  in  this  life.  And  is  it  credible,  that  he  has 
been  guilty  of  gross  self  contradiction,  in  the  course  of  a 
single  brief  letter? 

It  may  be  said  in  favour  of  the  doctrine  of  perfection  of  the 
saints  in  this  life,  that  it  is  honourable  to  Christ,  and  implied 
in  his  all-sufficiency  as  the  Saviour  of  his  people.  Will  he 
not,  it  may  be  asked,  be  all  to  his  people  that  they  need  or 
desire  ? 

We  answer,  that  he  will  be  all  to  them  that  he  has  promised, 
but  that  he  will  do  nothing  for  them,  contrary  to  his  own  ex- 
press declarations,  and  the  wisdom  of  his  general  counsels. 
We  are  ill  qualified  to  judge  what,  except  so  far  as  he  has  re- 
vealed his  purpose  in  his  word,  it  is  wisest  and  best  for  him 
to  do.  There  are  some  things,  which  he  will  not  do  for  his 
people.  He  will  not,  for  example,  make  them  all  of  gigantic 
stature,  and  Herculean  strength  ;  nor  render  them  immortal 
upon  the  earth,  nor  cause  them  to  live  to  the  age  of  Methu- 
selah, nor  raise  them  at  once,  in  intellect  and  knowledge,  to 
an  equality  with  the  angels  ;  nor  free  them,  while  they  con- 
tinue here,  from  the  universally  experienced  pains  and  ills 
of  this  mortal  existence.  To  expect  from  him  such  achieve- 
ments, betrays  either  infidelity,  or  the  utmost  extravagance 
of  enthusiasm.  That  he  will  ultimately  accomplish  the 
entire  sanctification  of  his  people,  is  certain :  this  they  are 
bound  to  believe ;  but  to  look  to  him  without  any  warrant 
from  his  word,  for  such  a  manifestation  of  his  grace  in  this 
world,  betokens  rather  weakness  and  presumption,  than  suit- 
able confidence  in  his  faithfulness  and  power.  When  he 
assures  us  that  he  will  do  for  us  whatever  we  ask,  it  is  with 
the  express  or  implied  condition,  that  our  petitions  are  in  accor- 
dance with  his  purposes  as  made  known  in  the  scriptures. 
Has  he  ever  told  us  in  the  Bible,  that  he  will,  if  we  ask  him, 
purify  us  from  all  sin  in  the  present  world  ?  If  not,  it  seems 
opinionated  pride  and  ignorance,  rather  than  eminent  faith 
and  holiness,  to  expect  him,  out  of  a  regard  to  our  wishes,  thus 


•  26 

to  turn  aside  from  the  course  of  his  ordinary  gracious  opera- 
tions. Besides,  so  long  as  we  continue  here,  we  must  come 
to  him  as  needy,  as  empty,  as  sinners.  But  these  are  not 
the  characteristics  of  such  as  are  completely  sanctified.  They 
have  as  truly  entered  into  their  rest,  as  any  of  the  saints 
with  Christ  in  Paradise. 

"But  some  have  professed  to  be  perfectly  holy." 
Such  were  not  the  saints,   of  whom  we    have    an  ac- 
count  in   the   scriptures.     These  all   confessed  their  con- 
tinual proneness  to  sin ;  and  depended  all  their  life  long 
on  the  resources  of  rich,  free,  superabounding  grace.     Some, 
indeed  have  claimed  perfection ;    but  they  resembled  the 
pharisee,  who  thanked  the  Lord  for  his  moral  superiority 
over  other  men,  much  more  nearly  than  the  contrite  publican, 
who  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  "  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner."     The  church  of  Rome  too  has  claimed  infalli- 
bility.    A  man's  favourable  opinion  of  himself  is  but  a  poor 
argument  to  show  that  he  is  either  good  or  great.     "  He  that 
trusteth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool."     "There  is,"  says  Solo- 
mon, "  a  generation  that  are  pure  in  their  own  eyes,  and  yet 
are  not  washed  from  their  filthiness."    It  is  the  self-righteous 
hypocrite  who  cries  "stand  by  thyself,  come  not  near  to  me  ; 
for  I  am  holier  than  thou."     "These,"  says  God,  "are  a 
smoke  in  my  nose,  a  fire  that  burnetii  all  the  day."     Many 
poor  enthusiasts  have  believed  themselves  inspired,  and  ca- 
pable of  working  miracles ;  and  some  have  affirmed  their 
possession  of  attributes  strictly    superhuman   and    divine. 
Are  the  Behmenites,  the  French  prophets,  the  disciples  of 
Ann   Lee,   and   the  Mormons,  then,  to  be  acknowledged  as 
the  divinely  illuminated  messengers  of  God  ?     "  Not  lie  that 
commendeth  himself  is  approved,  but  whom  the  Lord  com- 
mendeth."    When  a  man  professes  an  eminence  in  holiness, 
surpassing  that  ascribed  to  any  of  the  scripture  saints,  he  is 
for  that  reason  to  be  distrusted  ;  and  if  he  boasts  of  a  per- 
fection, which  the   Bible  denies  to  pertain  to  any  of  the 
human  race  in  this  world,  he  is  to  be  at  once  regarded,  with- 
out the  trouble  of  further  examination,  either  as  a  deceiver, 
or  the  subject  of  a  morbid  fanaticism.     It  is  not  for  a  mo- 
ment to  be  deemed  possible, — whatever  may  be  his  professed 
experimental  knowledge  of  religion,  or  his  zeal,  or  the  appa- 
rent blamelessness  of  his  life, — that  he  is  in  the  right,  in 
opposition  to  the  explicit  declaration  of  the  scriptures.    "  Let 
God  be  true,  but  every  man  a  liar."     "To  the  law  and  to 
the  testimony ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  the  word,  it  is 


27  • 

because  there  is  no  light  in  them."  At  all  events  if  one 
come  to  us  with  a  professedly  new  revelation,  he  is  not 
worthy  of  attention  from  us,  until  we  find  him  performing 
works,  which  are  plainly  and  incontestably  miraculous. 

It  is,  moreover,  said  by  Perfectionists,  that  the  common 
orthodox  doctrine  on  this  subject  is  discouraging,  and  leads 
to  licentiousness. 

The  same  objection  has  been  made  to  the  doctrines 
of  entire  depravity,  regeneration  by  effectual  grace, 
election,  justification  by  faith  alone,  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
and  indeed  the  whole  scheme  of  evangelical  truth  contained 
in  the  Bible.  Infidels  too  have  professed  to  reject  the  sacred 
volume,  on  the  ground  of  the  alleged  evil  tendency  of  many 
of  its  narratives,  precepts,  and  exhibitions  of  divine  charac- 
ter. Does  it  follow  then,  that  the  influence  of  the  doctrines 
of  grace  is  bad,  or  that  the  Bible  does  not  give  us  the  most 
just  and  consistent  view  of  God  ?     Certainly  not. 

He  who  needs  the  expectation  of  perfect  holiness  in  this 
life,  to  stimulate  his  efforts  in  religion,  is  yet  a  stranger  to 
the  ingenuous  nature  of  that  faith  which  is  the  fruit  of  divine 
grace.  The  true  Christian  loves  holiness,  and  will,  there- 
fore, strive  to  make  advances  in  the  divine  life.  Did  Baxter, 
Brainerd,  Martyn  and  Payson  labour  any  the  less  diligently 
for  Christ,  because  they  did  not  expect  perfect  rest  on  this 
side  of  heaven?  Has  any  advocate  of  Perfectionism  ever 
surpassed  those  holy  men  in  watchfulness,  in  fervent  prayers, 
in  the  most  self-denying  sacrifices,  and  in  unwearied  atten- 
tion to  all  the  demands  of  duty?  The  common  doctrine 
concerning  the  imperfection  of  the  heart  of  the  saints  in  this 
world,  is  adapted  to  produce  and  strengthen  some  very  im- 
portant branches  of  the  Christian  character — particularly 
humility,  a  great  fear  of  sin,  watchfulness  against  temptation, 
and  habitual  active  dependance  on  the  leaching  and  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit."  "  O,"  says  the  believer,  convinced  of  this 
truth,  "how  potent  must  be  my  corruptions;  and  how  hope- 
less, but  for  Almighty  grace,  my  state  !"  It  teaches,  in  the 
most  impressive  manner,  the  unwearied  faithfulness  of  the 
Redeemer,  who,  inconstant  and  unworthy  as  they  all  are, 
will  never  leave  one  of  his  ransomed  people  to  perish.  How 
sweet,  how  tender  the  gratitude,  which  such  a  view  of  his 
unceasing  care  cannot  fail  to  inspire.  The  doctrine,  at  the 
same  time,  serves  to  wean  the  believer  from  the  world,  where 
he  is  ever  to  bear  the  burthen  of  sin,  and  dispose  him  to 
seek,  with  the  most  intense  desires,  for  the  freedom,  rest,  and 


•  28 

blessedness  of  heaven.  It  helps  to  make  welcome  the  grave 
and  eternity.  To  one  who  knows  the  evils  of  his  heart,  it 
is  fitted,  when  clearly  understood,  to  impart  a  hope,  which 
would  be  otherwise  impossible ;  since  it  assures  him  that  the 
struggles  he  feels  within  him,  have  been  common  to  others, 
who  now  love  and  adore  in  the  unclouded  vision  of  the 
Lamb.  He  is,  therefore,  animated  to  press  forward  in  his 
holy  warfare,  till  he  shall  drop  all  the  sorrows  of  his  mortal 
state,  and  lay  down  his  arms  at  the  side  of  the  grave. 

We  now  proceed  to  state  the  more  direct  evidence  of  the 
sinful  imperfection  of  all  the  saints  in  this  life. 

1.  The  first  argument  is  derived  from  the  direct  testimony 
of  the  Bible. 

Not  a  single  text  can  be  adduced,  which,  properly  under- 
stood, attributes  perfection  to  good  men  in  this  life.  On  the 
contrary,  the  criminal  imperfection  of  them  all  is  most  plainly 
asserted.  Witness  Eccl.  vii.  20 :  "  For  there  is  not  a  just 
man  upon  earth  that  doeth  good  and  sinneth  not."  It  is  as 
evident  from  this  passage  that  no  one  on  earth  is  perfectly 
holy,  as  that  any  are  imperfect.  Prov.  xx.  9:  "Who  can 
say,  I  have  made  my  heart  clean,  I  am  pure  from  my  sin  ?" 
Mr.  Mahan  suggests,  that  reference  is  here  had  to  a  man's 
past  life.  The  language,  however,  supposes  present  imper- 
fection. Should  one  say,  "  I  have  made  my  heart  clean," 
the  words  would  imply,  not  that  his  heart  had  always  been 
clean,  (for  that  which  has  never  been  impure,  needs  no  cleans- 
ing,) but  that  he  had  accomplished  his  perfect  sanctification. 
To  say  "  I  am  pure  from  any  sin,"  is  equivalent  to  saying, 
"  I  am  free  from  that  depravity  which  was  once  my  charac- 
ter." The  passage  then  strongly  denies  the  sinless  perfec- 
tion of  any  of  the  human  race,  in  this  world.  1  Kings,  viii. 
46 :  "  There  is  no  man  that  sinneth  not."  Mr.  Mahan  con- 
tends that  this  means  simply,  that  every  man  is  peccable,  or 
liable  to  sin.  If  so,  the  passage  supposes  that  all  men  here 
are  in  a  very  different  state  from  that  of  the  angels  and  saints 
in  heaven,  who  are  in  no  danger  of  apostatizing  from  God, 
Is  it  not  natural  then  to  conclude  that  there  is  in  the  hearts 
of  the  saints  here,  something  which  peculiarly  exposes  them 
to  sin  ?  And  what  can  this  be  but  a  sinful  propensity  ?  Mr. 
Wesley  disposes  of  the  passage  in  a  different  manner.  "  Doubt- 
less," says  he,  "  thus  it  was  in  the  days  of  Solomon :  yea, 
and  from  Solomon  to  Christ,  there  was  no  man  that  sinned 
not."  But  he  supposes  that  the  declaration  is  not  applicable 
to  the  times  of  the  gospel.     With  such  as  have  a  suitable 


89 

reverence  for  the  scriptures,  this  method  of  explaining"  away 
the  text  requires  no  comment.  "  What,"  says  Eliphaz,  the 
Temanite,  "  is  man  that  he  should  be  clean,  and  he  which  is 
born  of  a  woman  that  he  should  be  righteous  ?"  "  If  I  say 
I  am  perfect,"  (or  sinless,)  remarks  Job,  "it  shall  also  prove 
me  perverse."  "How  does  this  declaration,"  asks  Mr.  Ma- 
han,  "  which  Job  applies  to  himself  and  to  no  other  person, 
prove  that  all  other  saints,  and  Christians  even,  arc  imper- 
fect?" It  is  sufficient  to  reply,  that  Job  was  one  of  the  best 
men  of  his  own  or  any  other  age;  that  he  is  celebrated  as 
such  in  the  book  of  Ezekiel,  and  that  he  is  proposed  to  Chris- 
tians in  the  New-Testament  as  a  model  of  distinguished 
patience.  "And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  hast  thou  con- 
sidered my  servant  Job,  that  there  is  none  like  him  in  the 
earth,  a  perfect  and  an  upright  man  ?"  And  is  it  no  evidence 
of  perverseness  in  men  of  far  inferior  moral  attainments,  to 
boast  of  their  perfection?  "Who,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "can 
understand  his  errors  ?  Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults.'' 
Here  it  is  intimated,  that  all  have  errors  or  faults,  from  which 
they  need  to  be  purified  by  the  grace  of  God.  The  New 
Testament  is  no  less  explicit  on  this  subject  than  the  Old. 
We  need  not  here  adduce  the  passages  already  quoted  from 
the  first  epistle  of  John,  as  they  must  be  fresh  in  the  reader's 
remembrance.  James  iii.  2  :  "  For  in  many  things  we  offend 
all,"  or  are  all  offended.  WTe  can  see  nothing  in  the  connexion, 
or  in  the  nature  of  the  thing,  which  limits  this  declaration 
to  any  particular  description  of  men.  The  apostle  evidently 
includes  himself  and  his  fellow  Christians. 

2.  Many  of  the  exhortations,  addressed  to  Christians,  and 
the  prayers  offered  in  their  behalf,  imply  that  they  are  not  at 
present  completely  sanctified.  They  are  required  to  make 
advancement  in  piety.  "  Grow  in  grace."  But  where  one 
is  perfect  in  holiness,  he  can  "grow  in  grace,"  only  by  an 
increase  of  his  natural  capacity.  His  whole  duty  is  done; 
and  can  he  do  more  than  his  duty?  "  Giving  all  diligence, 
add  to  your  faith,  virtue,  and  to  virtue,  knowledge,  and  to 
knowledge,  temperance,  and  to  temperance,  patience,  and  to 
patience,  godliness,  and  to  godliness,  brotherly  kindness,  and 
to  brotherly  kindness,  charity."  Could  such  an  exhortation, 
with  any  propriety,  be  addressed  to  one  whose  obedience, 
according  to  his  capacity,  was  as  perfect  as  that  of  Gabriel  ? 
A  large  portion  of  the  precepts  written  to  Christians  in  the 
New  Testament,  import  the  necessity  of  improvement,  of 
progress  in  the  divine  life.     "Now  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 


30 

himself,  and  God,  even  our  Father,  comfort  your  hearts,  and 
stablish  yon  in  every  good  word  and  work."  Would  this  be 
a  suitable  prayer  in  behalf  of  those  already  stablished  in 
perfect  goodness  ?  tC  We  pray  exceedingly  that  we  might  see 
your  face,  and  might  perfect  that  which  is  lacking  in  your 
faith."  The  Lord  make  you  to  increase  and  abound  in  love." 
"  The  God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly."  "  Now  the  God 
of  peace  make  you  perfect  in  every.good  work  to  do  his  will, 
working  in  you  that  which  is  well  pleasing  in  his  sight." 
The  prayer  for  perfect  sanctification  supposes,  that  the  bless- 
ing has  not  already  been  obtained ;  as  the  prayer  that  sin- 
ners may  be  regenerated,  assumes,  that  they  are  yet  in  an 
unrenewed  state.  The  foregoing  passages  may  serve  as  a 
specimen  of  the  prayers  c[  inspired  men  in  behalf  of  their 
brethren ;  and,  while  they  prove  the  moral  imperfection  of 
those  for  whom  they  were  presented,  they  give  us  no  reason 
to  conclude  that  a  full  answer  to  them  was  obtained  on  this 
side  of  the  tomb.  To  infer  the  contrary,  would  be  as  un- 
reasonable, as  to  infer  that  a  sincere  prayer  for  the  deliver- 
ance of  believers  from  all  evil,  must  secure  its  object  per- 
fectly in  the  present  world. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  men  daily  to  ask  of  God  the  for- 
giveness of  their  sins.  This  is  evident  from  the  form  of 
prayer  which  our  Lord  taught  his  disciples,  which  is  given 
as  a  general  guide  to  our  daily  devotions,  and  which  con- 
tains in  substance  the  petitions  needful  for  Christians  during 
their  whole  life.  That  the  prayer,  as  it  respects  the  subjects 
which  it  brings  into  view,  whether  the  precise  form  be 
adopted  or  not,  is  designed  for  daily  use,  is  manifest  from 
one  of  its  petitions.  "  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread." 
It  is  then  added,  "and  forgive  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive 
those  who  trespass  against  us."  We  shall  all,  therefore, 
need  daily  to  pray  for  pardoning  mercy.  But  the  daily 
need  of  forgiveness  supposes  the  daily  commission  of  sins 
to  be  forgiven.  The  daily  prayer  implies  daily  confession 
of  sin.  And  does  Christ  require  us  to  confess  offences,  of 
which  we  are  not  guilty  ?  The  insertion  of  this  petition 
among  the  rest,  was  doubtless  intended  to  remind  us  of  the 
sinful  imperfection  of  all  our  services  in  the  present  world. 
Mr.  Mahan's  evasion  of  this  argument,  that  it  involves  the 
supposition,  that  "  the  kingdom  of  God  will  never  come, 
and  that  the  Christian  will  never  be  in  a  state  in  this  life  in 
which  he  will  not  be  subject  to  injuries  from  others,"  is 
rather  confirmatory,  than  subversive,  of  the  inference  I  have 


31 

maintained.  Mr.  Mahan  virtually  allows,  then,  that  so  long 
as  Christians  are  "subject  to  injuries  from  others,"  this 
prayer  is  suitable  for  all  believers.  And  arc  they  not  still 
"subject  to  injuries?"  The  prayer,  therefore,  is  with  pro- 
priety used  by  Christians  at  this  day ;  and  it  remains  to  be 
proved,  that  it  will  cease  to  be  appropriate  to  their  circum- 
stances, so  long  as  the  sun  and  the  moon  endure. 

4.  The  same  doctrine  is  evident  from  the  history  which 
the  Holy  Ghost  has  given  us  in  the  scriptures,  of  the  most 
eminent  saints  in  ancient  times.  Noah  was  once  intoxica- 
ted ;  Abraham  practised  dissimulation  concerning  his  wife  ; 
Isaac  indulged  sinful  partiality  towards  Esau;  Jacob  some- 
times indulged  criminal  distrust ;  Lot  was  shamefully  over- 
come by  temptation  ;  Moses  spoke  unadvisedly  with  his  lips ; 
Aaron  was  too  accommodating  to  the  sinful  wishes  of  his 
countrymen,  and  formed  an  image  for  idolatrous  worship  ; 
David  committed  crimes,  for  which  his  holy  soul  was  after- 
wards humbled  in  the  dust ;  Solomon's  old  age  was  disgra- 
ced by  his  idolatries  ;  Job  and  Jeremiah  impatiently  cursed 
the  day  of  their  birth.  Shall  I  speak  of  the  faults  of  Eli, 
and  Samuel,  and  Jehosaphat,  and  Asa,  and  Hezekiah,  and 
Josiah  ?  Unpleasant  as  the  recollection  of  their  failings  is, 
it  may  be  profitable,  to  impress  upon  us  the  necessity  of 
continual  vigilance  and  prayer.  It  is  important  to  observe, 
that  to  those  holy  men,  the  remembrance  of  their  sins  was 
grievous,  and  the  burden  of  them  was  intolerable. 

Let  us  look  now  at  the  saints,  of  whom  we  have  an 
account  in  the  New  Testament.  Not  one  of  them  is  pre- 
sented to  us  with  a  faultless  character.  In  the  little  family 
of  Christ,  we  observe  the  spirit  of  worldly  ambition.  We 
hear  the  disciples  inquiring  among  themselves,  who  shall  be 
greatest ;  they  were  warm  in  dispute  ;  and  carry  their  mu- 
tual complaints  to  their  meek  and  compassionate  Lord. — 
Who  can  think  of  the  confidence  of  Peter,  and  his  subse- 
quent lapse,  though  so  soon  followed  by  his  repentance, 
without  exclaiming,  "  what  arc  the  holiest  men, unaided  and 
unsustained  by  the  grace  of  God  !"  Much  as  Peter's  cha- 
racter afterwards  was  improved,  his  sanctification  was  still 
imperfect.  "  But  when  Peter,"  who  was  in  that  instance  too 
much  actuated  by  motives  of  carnal  policy,  u  was  come  to 
Antioch,  I,"  says  Paul,  "  withstood  him  to  the  face,  because 
he  was  to  be  blamed."  Thus  weak  in  himself  and  liable  to 
transgress,  was  that  great  apostle,  whose  very  name  denotes 
firmness  and  constancy.     James,  and  the  gentle,  affectionate 


32 

John  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  revenge,  would  fain  have  com- 
manded tire  to  come  down  from  heaven  and  consume  the 
Samaritans,  who  refused  to  receive  their  master.  Yet  Mr. 
Mahan  thinks,  that  John  became  perfectly  holy  in  this  life. 
Because  John  was  conscious  of  the  sincerity  of  his  obedi- 
ence, it  is  inferred,  that  he  was  free  from  sin.  Paul  and 
Barnabas  contended  and  divided,  with  a  spirit  of  acrimony, 
ill  befitting  their  eminent  meekness,  self-denial,  and  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer.  Yet  in  Mr,  Mahan's 
view,  it  is  at  least  "  doubtful,"  whether  Paul  in  that  in- 
stance, deviated  in  the  smallest  degree  from  perfect  holiness. 
The  same  writer  makes  the  apostle  attest  his  own  perfec- 
tion in  a  number  of  passages,  which  simply  assert  the  reality 
of  his  faith  and  piety,  though  he  expressly  says,  "Not  as 
though  I  had  already  attained,  either  were  already  perfect; 
brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  apprehended  :  but  this 
one  thing  I  do,  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind, 
and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus."  In  the  apostolical  epistles  to  the 
churches,  faults  are  specified  and  reproved,  which  render  it 
certain  that  the  religion  of  the  primitive  Christians  was  by 
no  means  such  as  dreaming  Perfectionists  claim  for  them- 
selves. Thus  do  Bible  facts  on  this  subject,  explain  and 
establish  the  Bible  doctrine. 

5.  The  most  holy  men  mentioned  in  scripture  have  con- 
fessed, and  that  in  their  best  frames,  their  remaining  sinful- 
ness. "  Against  thee,  thee  only,"  says  David,  "  have  I 
sinned."  "  Mine  iniquities  have  gone  over  my  head  ;  as  an 
heavy  burden,  they  are  too  heavy  for  me."  "  Behold  I  am 
evil,"  says  Job,  "  what  shall  I  answer  thee?"  Nehemiah 
and  Daniel  include  themselves  in  their  confessions  of  the 
sins  of  their  people.  Paul  again  and  again  renounces  all 
dependance  on  his  own  righteousness,  and  casts  himself, 
without  reserve,  on  the  atonement  and  perfect  obedience  of 
the  Saviour.  These  were  among  the  best  men  that  ever 
lived;  and  if  they  felt  themselves  to  be  still  imperfect,  is  it 
not  evident,  that  others  who  regard  themselves  as  purified 
from  all  sin,  are  miserably  deceived  ? 

6.  The  warfare,  which  the  scriptures  teach  us,  exists 
through  life  in  the  bosoms  of  good  men,  implies  the  imper- 
fection of  their  obedience,  or  the  continuance  of  evil  princi- 
ples, however  mortified  and  weakened,  in  their  hearts.  It 
is  no  where  intimated,  that  any  of  the  saints  have  arrived 


33 

at  such  a  state,  that  they  have  nothing  more  to  do  in  oppo- 
sing sin  in  their  hearts.  On  the  contrary,  they  are  all  ex- 
horted to  continual  watchfulness  and  diligence,  lest  they  be 
overcome  by  temptation.  "  lie  sober,  be  vigilant."  It  is 
clearly  implied  in  many  exhortations,  that  Christians  will  be 
obliged  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  till  they  die.  Is  it 
not  plain  from  this,  that  there  will  always  be  sin  in  them  to 
resist  ?  Would  it  not  be  absurd  to  direct  men  to  fight  an 
enemy  already  completely  vanquished  and  destroyed  ?  To 
evade  this  argument,  shall  we  be  told  of  innocent  suscepti- 
bilities to  sin,  which  render  perpetual  resistance  necessary  ? 
On  this  principle,  as  we  have  already  observed,  there  must  be 
an  inward  warfare  in  heaven  ;  since  men  carry  with  them 
their  innocent  mental  susceptibilities  into  the  regions  of  end- 
less purity.  But  is  there  any  warfare  in  that  world  ?  Were 
the  saints  here  perfectly  holy,  we  see  no  reason  why  they 
should  be  any  more  troubled  with  internal  conflicts,  than 
are  the  glorified  spirits  in  heaven. 

According  to  the  more  common  interpretation  of  ortho- 
dox divines,  the  apostle,  in  Rom.  vii.  is  describing  his  own 
experience,  and  that  of  every  believer  in  this  world.  In 
that  chapter,  he  speaks  of  sin  dwelling  in  him  ;  of  willing 
what  he  could  not  perform  ;  of  finding  a  law,  that  when  he 
would  do  good,  evil  was  present  with  him  ;  of  delighting  in 
the  law  of  God,  after  the  inward  man,  and  yet  seeing  ano- 
ther law  in  his  members  warring  against  the  law  of  his  mind, 
and  bringing  him  into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin  in  his  mem- 
bers ;  and  he  adds  the  pathetic  exclamation,  "  0  wretched 
man  that  I  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
death  ?"  He  speaks  as  if  two  distinct  persons  within  him 
were  contending  for  the  mastery  ;  and  he  rests  all  his  hope  of 
the  final  victory  of  the  good  principle  over  its  opposite,  on 
the  mere  grace  of  the  Redeemer.  "  I  thank  God,  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  So  then  with  the  mind,  I  myself 
serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the  ilesh  the  law  of  sin." 
No  real  difficulty  exists  from  the  connexion,  in  supposing 
this  passage  to  be  descriptive  of  the  Christian  experience  of 
Paul  himself,  and  of  other  true  saints.  It  has  been  appro- 
priated by  the  best  of  men,  as  most  happily  expressive  of 
their  own  views  of  themselves  ;  while  most  of  the  opponents 
in  modern  times  of  its  application  to  true  Christians,  have 
also  had  Arminian  or  Pelagian  notions  of  the  great  doc- 
trines of  grace.  The  orthodox  interpretation  is  the  most 
natural,  and  such  as  the  plain,  unlettered  Christian,  who 

5 


34 

had  no  system  to  support,  would  be  most  likely  to  adopt. 
Some  of  the  phrases  employed  express  a  state  of  feeling, 
which  is  never  found  in  a  totally  depraved  sinner.  Can 
such  an  one  truly  say,  that  he  allows  not  the  evil  which  he 
commits,  that  he  hates  what  he  does,  and  that  he  delights 
in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man  ?  The  Psalmist 
represents  it  as  one  of  the  characteristics  of  a  good  man, 
that  "  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord."  "  0  Lord, 
how  love  I  thy  law  !"  "  Delight  thyself  also  in  the  Lord, 
and  he  thall  give  thee  the  desires  of  thy  heart."  As  for  the 
confession,  "  I  am  carnal,  sold  under  sin,"  it  merely  ex- 
pressed the  strong  sense  which  Paul  had  of  the  power  of 
indwelling  sin,  as  it  was  manifested  in  the  effects  which  he 
noticed  in  the  following  connexion. 

In  Gal.  v.  17,  the  apostle  speaks  of  an  inward  spiritual 
conflict  as  common  to  Christians.  "  The  flesh  lusteth  against 
the  spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesh:  and  these  are 
contrary  the  one  to  the  other,  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
things  that  ye  would."  By  the  flesh  here,  as  is  evident 
from  what  follows,  is  intended  the  corrupt  nature,  or  sinful 
disposition  of  mankind.  This  flesh  is  affirmed  to  exist  in 
Christians,  and  to  counteract  the  impulses  of  their  new,  or 
spiritual  nature.  The  combatants  being  thus  in  the  field, 
the  contest  can  never  be  intermitted,  till  the  foe  is  finally 
routed  and  destroyed. 

7.  The  temper,  represented  in  the  scriptures  as  necessary 
to  acceptable  prayer,  implies,  on  the  part  of  the  offerers,  the 
consciousness  of  remaining  sin.  None  are  permitted  to 
mention  their  own  goodness  as  the  meritorious  ground  of 
acceptance.  Humility  and  penitence  are  indispensable  to  a 
right  approach  to  the  throne  of  grace.  We  read  of  one, 
who,  without  any  confession  of  sin,  boasted  before  God  of 
his  good  deeds ;  but  we  are  assured  by  the  supreme  judge, 
that  this  man  found  no  favour  with  his  maker.  Observe 
Daniel's  prayer.  After  confessing  his  own  sin,  as  well  as 
the  sin  of  his  people,  he  said,  "  We  do  not  present  our  sup- 
plications before  thee  for  our  righteousness,  but  for  thy  great 
mercies.  0  Lord,  hear;  0  Lord,  forgive;  0  Lord,  hearken 
and  do  ;  defer  not,  for  thine  own  sake,  0  my  God ;  for  thy 
city  and  thy  people  are  called  by  thy  name."  Observe  the 
prayer  of  the  Psalmist.  "  Enter  not  into  judgment  with 
thy  servant ;  for  in  thy  sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justi- 
fied." Observe  the  prayer  of  Isaiah.  "Behold  thou  art 
wroth,  for  we  have  sinned  ;  in  thy  ways  is  continuance,  and 


35 

we  shall  be  saved.  For  we  arc  all  as  an  unclean  thing,  and 
all  our  righteousnesses  arc  as  filthy  rags ;  and  we  all  do  fade 
as  a  leaf;  and  our  iniquities,  like  the  wind,  have  taken  us 
away.  And  there  is  none  that  calleth  upon  thy  name,  that 
stirrcth  up  himself  to  take  hold  of  thee;  for  thou  hast  hid 
thy  face  from  us,  and  hast  consumed  us,  because  of  our 
iniquities.  But  now,  0  Lord,  thou  art  our  Father  ;  we  are 
the  clay,  and  thou  our  potter ;  and  we  all  are  the  work  of 
thy  hand.  Be  not  wroth  very  sore,  0  Lord,  neither  remem- 
ber iniquity  forever ;  behold,  see,  we  beseech  thee,  we  are 
all  thy  people."  Here  we  see  the  church  relinquishing  all 
confidence  in  herself,  in  her  strength,  in  her  goodness,  taking 
to  herself  everlasting  shame,  and  reposing  all  her  hope  in 
the  sovereign  mercy  and  gracious  covenant  of  her  God.  In 
the  spirit  of  this  passage,  Jeremiah  prays,  "  Though  our 
iniquities  testify  against  us,  do  thou  it  for  thy  name's  sake." 
Of  that  penitent  submission,  which  prostrates  the  pride  of 
the  heart,  and  all  the  powers  of  the  soul  before  the  divine 
Majesty,  we  are  most  impressively  taught  the  necessity  in 
the  parable  of  the  publican  and  pharisee.  He,  whose  prayer 
was  graciously  accepted,  had  no  good  actions  to  enumerate, 
no  apology  to  offer  for  his  transgressions.  His  only  plea 
was  mercy,  through  the  great  propitiation  provided  for  the 
guilty  and  the  lost.  The  pharisee,  on  the  other  hand  seem- 
ed to  regard  himself  as  perfect.  See  the  repenting  prodigal. 
He  tells  of  no  good  that  he  has  done.  He  speaks  not  even 
of  his  compunction,  his  sorrow,  his  long  and  painful  journey, 
to  regain  the  parental  mansion,  and  sue  for  an  abused 
parent's  love.  No,  with  shame  and  weeping,  he  cries, 
"  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven  and  before  thee,  and 
am  not  worthy  to  be  called  thy  son."  The  current  lan- 
guage of  the  Bible  accords  with  these  examples.  The  Lord 
fills  the  poor  with  good  things,  but  he  sends  the  rich  empty 
away.  "  He  will  regard  the  prayer  of  the  destitute  ;  he  will 
not  despise  their  prayer."  But  what  have  such  promises 
to  do,  with  those  who'believe  that  they  have  already  attained 
to  perfection  ?  Are  they  poor,  destitute  in  their  own  eyes  ? 
What,  they  who  have  only  to  be  thankful  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  what  is  past,  and  to  be  satisfied  with  their  present 
purity  and  worthiness  ?  This  is  pharisaism,  this  is  arrogance, 
indeed,  if  any  thing  can  deserve  the  name.  "  Thou  sayesl , 
I  am  rich,  and  increased  with  goods,  and  have  need  of  noth- 
ing, and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and  miserable, 
and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked." 


S 


30 


S.  The  same  doctrine  is  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of 
those  in  later  times,  who  have  given  the  best  evidence  of 
eminent  meekness,  humility  and  a  disinterested  consecration 
of  themselves  to  the  service  and  cause  of  God.  In  the  con- 
fessions and  writings  of  the  great  Augustine,  the  power  of 
indwelling  sin  is  acknowledged,  with  a  strength  and  pun- 
gency of  expression,  which  prove  the  depth  of  his  convic- 
tion, and  the  intenseness  of  his  penitential  sorrow.  The 
ardent  and  intrepid  Luther  is  full  of  this  most  humilia- 
ting subject,  that  he  may  drive  the  church  from  every 
other  refuge,  to  the  atoning  sacrifice  and  the  immaculate 
righteousness  of  her  Redeemer.  Baxter,  Owen,  Flavel, 
Charnock,  Bates,  Howe,  Bunyan,  and  a  host  of  their  godly- 
contemporaries,  unite  in  their  acknowledgments  of  the  ex- 
ceeding potency  of  remaining  sin  in  the  hearts  of  the  best 
of  God's  people.  Who  has  not  observed  the  strong  lan- 
guage of  Edwards,  Brainerd,  and  Payson,  as  they  confessed 
and  mourned  over  the  sins  that  were  mixed  with,  and  de- 
filed their  holiest  services  ?  John  Newton,  Winter,  Scott, 
Martyn,  and  indeed  most  of  those  who  have  seemed  emi- 
nently spiritual,  have  been  full  and  constant  in  expressing 
their  conviction  of  the  criminal  imperfection  of  their  best 
works,  the  strength  of  their  innate  corruptions,  and  their 
entire  dependance  on  the  power  and  sovereign  grace  of  God 
to  direct  and  uphold  them.  And  if  these  were  not  real 
saints,  who,  in  modern  times  are  entitled  to  the  appellation  ? 
Are  they,  who  profess  to  depend  on  their  good  life  for 
acceptance  with  God,  while  they  oppose,  calumniate  and 
hold  up  to  ridicule  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gospel  ? 
Are  those  zealots,  proud,  censorious  and  dogmatical,  who 
boast  of  their  perfect  deliverance  from  sin  ?  "  By  their 
fruits  ye  shall  know  them ;  do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns, 
or  figs  of  thistles  ?" 

On  this  subject,  the  great  and  good  Wilberforce  says : 
"To  put  the  question  concerning  the  natural  depravity  of  man 
to  the  severest  test ;  rake  the  best  of  the  human  species,  the 
watchful,  diligent,  self-denying  Christian,  and  let  him  decide 
the  controversy  ;  and  that,  not  by  inferences  drawn  from  the 
practices  of  a  thoughtless  and  dissolute  world,  but  by  an 
appeal  to  his  personal  experience  ;  go  with  him  to  his  closet, 
ask  him  his  opinion  of  the  corruption  of  the  heart ;  and  he 
will  tell  you,  that  he  is  deeply  sensible  of  its  power,  for  that 
he  has  learned  it  from  much  self-examination,  and  long 
acquaintance  with  the  workings  of  his  own  mind.     He  will 


:;; 

tell  you,  that  every  day  strengthens  this  conviction  ;  yea, 
that  hourly  he  sees  fresh  reason  to  deplore  his  want  of  sim- 
plicity in  intention,  his  infirmity  of  purpose,  his  low  views, 
his  selfish  unworthy  desires,  his  backwardness  to  set  about 
his  duty,  his  languor  and  coldness  in  performing  it ;  that  he 
finds  himself  obliged  continually  to  confess  that  he  feels 
within  him  two  opposite  principles,  and  that  he  cannot  do 
the  things  that  he  would.  He  cries  out  in  the  language  of 
the  excellent  Hooker, "  the  little  fruit  which  we  have  in  holi- 
ness, it  is,  God  knoweth,  corrupt  and  unsound  ;  we  put  no 
confidence  at  all  in  it,  we  challenge  nothing  in  the  world 
for  it,  we  dare  not  call  God  to  reckoning,  as  if  we  had  him  in 
our  debt  books  ;  our  continual  suit  to  him  is,  and  must  be,  to 
bear  with  our  infirmities,  and  pardon  our  offences." 

9.  The  Bible  teaches  us  to  look  for  the  accomplishment 
of  our  perfect  conformity  to  God,  as  a  part  of  that  peculiar 
and  glorious  reward  which  is  reserved  for  a  future  life.  "  I 
shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake  with  thy  likeness."  "  It 
doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be  ;  but  we  know  that, 
when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see 
him  as  he  is."  Is  not  the  implication  clear  and  unanswerable, 
that  our  moral  assimilation  to  Christ  will  not  be  completed, 
till  we  awake  in  eternity,  and  behold  him  in  his  unveiled 
glory  ?  But  according  to  the  scheme  of  the  Perfectionists, 
that  which  makes  Heaven  most  attractive  to  the  pious  heart, 
may  be  fully  enjoyed  upon  earth ;  we  may  be  as  sinless, 
and,  according  to  our  capacity,  as  much  conformed  to  the 
Redeemer  here  as  are  any  of  the  saints  in  his  immediate 
presence  before  the  throne.  Why  then,  should  Christians 
so  eagerly,  as  the  Bible  represents  them  do,  fix  the  eyes  of 
their  faith  and  desire  on  the  celestial  Paradise  ?  Why  do 
they  so  joyfully  anticipate  the  second  coming  of  their  victo- 
rious Prince  and  deliverer  ?  We  are  assured,  that  "  the 
spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  "  are  collected  together  in 
"  the  city  of  the  living  God,  l  lie  heavenly  Jerusalem."  Why 
arc  we  not  told,  that  their  dwelling-place  is  upon  earth,  as 
well  as  in  the  distant  country  beyond  the  tomb  ? 

10.  God  deals  with  the  best  of  his  people  here,  as  in  a 
state  of  imperfection.  They  are  subject  to  the  discipline  of 
affliction.  The  voice  of  divine  providence,  as  well  as  of  the 
word  to  them,  is,  "  arise  ye,  for  this  is  not  your  rest ;  for  it 
is  polluted."  It  is  plainly  a  doctrine  of  scripture,  that  man- 
kind suffer  only  because  they  are  sinners.  Sickness,  pain, 
disappointments,  and  the   other  calamities  of  life,  are,  in 


38 

innumerable  passages,  represented  as  divine  judgments, 
or  expressions  of  God's  righteous  displeasure  against  the 
wickedness  of  the  world.  "  When  thou  with  rebukes  dost 
correct  man  for  iniquity,  thou  makest  his  beauty  to  consume 
away  like  a  moth."  "  There  is  no  soundness  in  my  flesh, 
because  of  thine  anger;  neither  is  there  any  rest  in  my 
bones,  because  of  my  sin."  "  For  we  are  consumed  by 
thine  anger,  and  by  thy  wrath  are  we  troubled."  "  Where- 
fore doth  a  living  man  complain,  a  man  for  the  punishment 
of  his  sins  ?"  Our  blessed  Lord  was  exposed  to  suffering, 
in  the  capacity  of  our  substitute.  Had  he  not  acted  in  this 
character,  his  life  would  have  been  as  happy,  as  it  was  inno- 
cent and  holy.  "  The  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity  of 
us  all ;"  and  therefore  he  was  bruised,  tortured,  and  put  to 
death  upon  the  accursed  tree.  His  was  a  peculiar  case, 
unparalleled  in  the  history  of  our  world ;  the  result  of  an 
expedient  of  the  divine  government,  to  save  the  guilty,  in 
consistency  with  the  demands  of  righteousness,  and  the 
maintenance  of  the  honor  of  God.  The  sufferings  of  no 
other  person  are  strictly  vicarious,  or  avail  to  the  removal 
of  the  divine  anger  against  transgressors. 

With  respect  to  Christians,  however  distinguished  by  their 
attainments  in  piety,  afflictions  are  affirmed  to  be  fatherly 
chastisements,  and  proofs  of  the  paternal  faithfulness  of 
their  covenant  God.  "  If  his  children  forsake  my  law,  and 
walk  not  in  my  judgments  ;  if  they  break  my  statutes,  and 
keep  not  my  commandments;  then  will  I  visit  their  trans- 
gression with  the  rod,  and  their  iniquity  with  stripes.  Never- 
theless, my  loving-kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take  from  him, 
nor  suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail."  From  this  passage  it  is 
plain,  that  believers  are  never  visited  with  the  "  rod,"  and 
with  "  stripes,"  except  on  account  of  their  "  transgression  " 
and  their  "iniquity."  "Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chas- 
teneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  he  receiveth.  If  ye 
endure  chastening,  God  dealeth  with  you  as  with  sons  ;  for 
what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chastcneth  not  ?  But  if  ye 
be  without  chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  arc 
ye  bastards  and  not  sons."  None  of  God's  children  then, 
in  this  world,  can  wholly  escape  chastisement ;  and  the 
reason  is,  they  all  need  correction.  "  As  many  as  I  love," 
said  Christ,  "I  rebuke  and  chasten."  He  told  his  disci- 
ples, that  "  in  the  world,"  they  should  "  have  tribulation." 
"We  must,"  said  Paul,  "through  much  tribulation  enter 
into  the   kingdom  of  God."     "  For  we  that  are  in  this 


39 

tabernacle  do  groan,  being  burdened."  "  For  they  verily 
for  a  few  days  chastened  us,  after  their  own  pleasure  :  but 
he  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  holi- 
ness." The  plain  doctrine  of  the  apostle  here  is,  that  after 
believers  have  become  fully  partakers  of  the  divine  holi- 
ness, the  end  designed  to  be  answered  by  God's  chastisement, 
will  have  been  accomplished.  The  undeniable  inference, 
therefore,  is,  that  then  their  sufferings  will  cease.  And  this 
is  what  we  should  have  reason  to  expect.  Is  it  credible 
that  a  wise  and  merciful  parent  will  inflict  needless  pain  on 
his  own  children  ?  Mr.  Malum  himself  virtually  admits  the 
force  of  this  reasoning.  "  The  rod,"  he  says,  "  properly  ap- 
plied, brings  the  child  into  a  state  in  which  the  rod  is  no  more 
needed.  So  of  the  rod  in  the  hand  of  our  heavenly  Father. 
Its  object  is  to  render  us  partakers  of  his  holiness.  Till  this 
end  is  accomplished,  the  rod  will  be  used.  When  this  end 
is  accomplished,  it  will  no  longer  be  needed."*  But  we 
have  already  seen,  that  all  God's  people  here  are,  to  a 
greater  or  less  degree,  the  subjects  of  affliction.  Will  Mr. 
Mahan  pretend,  that  they  who  claim  to  be  perfect,  are  less 
liable,  than  other  professors  of  religion,  to  the  common 
natural  evils  of  this  life  ?  If  not,  their  claim,  according  to 
the  principle,  allowed  by  himself,  can  have  no  good  foun- 
dation. 

Will  it  be  said,  that  believers  suffer  according  to  general 
laws  ?  Be  it  so ;  but  by  whom,  I  ask,  were  those  gene- 
ral laws  established,  and  were  they  not  formed  by  their 
author,  in  view  of  all  the  wants  which  would  ever  take 
place  under  their  operation  ?  Besides,  who  does  not  know 
that  the  scriptures,  in  numerous  instances,  ascribe  all  the 
calamities  which  befal  creatures,  to  the  sovereign  appoint- 
ment and  direct  agency  of  that  being,  on  whom  are  depen- 
dent all  the  laws  of  nature,  and  all  the  results  to  which  they 
give  birth  ?  A  few  passages  to  this  effect  have  already 
been  quoted.  It  is  apparent  from  these,  and  many  other 
texts,  that  the  hand  of  God  is  as  much  to  be  acknowledged 
in  the  evils  we  suffer,  as  in  those  events  that  are  strictly 
miraculous,  and  which  occur  without  the  intervention  of 
means,  or  second  causes.  Since  then,  affliction  is  ordained 
on  account  of  sin,  the  perfectly  obedient  ought  to  be  as 
exempt  from  affliction,  as  are  any  of  the  saints  in  heaven. 
Every  bereavement  therefore,  that  the  Perfectionist  sus- 

*  Christian  Perfection,  p.  C6. 


40 

tains,  every  pain  he  feels,  demonstrates  the  falseness  of  his 
creed.  Were  he  what  he  professes  to  be,  this  poor,  dying 
world  would  be  a  most  unsuitable  residence  for  him ;  and 
he  would,  without  doubt,  ascend  at  once  to  join  his  kindred 
in  the  skies,  and  swell  the  shouts  of  their  praise.  The 
entire  system  of  divine  providence  here  proceeds  upon  the 
assumption,  that  the  whole  human  race  are  so  depraved,  as 
to  need  perpetual  restraints,  and  the  intermingling  of  pain- 
ful inflictions  with  the  attractive  influences  of  mercy. 

We  have  now  to  show  the  great  practical  importance  of 
correct  views  of  this  subject. 

Some  have  said,  that,  if  the  doctrine  we  have  maintained 
be  true,  it  is  not  worthy  of  being  contended  for,  especially 
at  the  risk  of  peace  ;  and  it  has  been  sometimes  intimated, 
that  the  contrary  scheme,  though  erroneous,  may  excite 
Christians  more  powerfully  than  the  truth  would  do,  to  the 
indefatigable  pursuit  of  holiness.  This  notion  directly  con- 
tradicts the  Bible.  There  we  learn,  that  believers  are  sanc- 
tified through  the  truth ;  and  we  are  urged  to  "  buy  the 
truth,  and  sell  it  not."  No  portion  of  revealed  truth  can  be 
of  little  consequence  ;  since  we  are  told,  on  the  best  authori- 
ty, that  "  all  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable."  The  common  doctrine  here  defended  therefore, 
provided  that  it  be  scriptural,  cannot  be  of  small  importance, 
in  its  relation  to  truth  and  duty.  Nor  has  it  been  received 
as  of  small  importance,  by  either  its  enlightened  friends,  or 
its  enemies.  Great  stress  was  laid  upon  it  by  Augustine 
and  the  reformers ;  and  it  has  been  deemed  of  vital  moment, 
by  the  most  distinguished  later  theologians  in  our  own 
country,  and  in  Europe.  While  it  has  been  held  by  the 
orthodox,  it  has  been  strongly  opposed  by  the  wildest  and 
most  erratic  of  the  opposers  of  evangelical  doctrines.  This 
fact  indicates  clearly  the  tendency  of  the  different  schemes 
on  this  subject.  In  every  well-instructed  and  well-balanced 
mind,  the  scriptural  doctrine  of  the  imperfection  of  good 
men  in  this  life  stands  not  as  an  isolated  truth,  but  as  an 
inseparable  part  of  a  system  of  religious  belief,  experience 
and  practice. 

The  Perfectionist  if  consistent  with  himself,  must  have 
different  apprehensions  of  God,  from  those  which  are  pos- 
sessed by  the  advocates  of  orthodoxy.  Where  is  the  Perfec- 
tionist who  has  clear  and  correct  views  of  the  universality, 
defmiteness,  and  immutability  of  the  divine  purposes  ?  Can 
an  instance  be  found  of  such  an  one,  who  does  not  confound 


41 

the  decrees  of  God  with  his  commands ;  thus  virtually  un- 
dermining the  stability  of  the  divine  government,  and  taking 
away  the  foundation  of  our  confidence,  in  the  ultimate  pre- 
valence of  truth  and  holiness  over  error  and  wickedness  ? 
Besides,  as  holiness  is  the  same  in  all  beings,  he,  who  re- 
gards himself  as  perfectly  sanctified,  must  believe  that  he 
is,  in  proportion  to  his  capacity,  as  pure  and  as  good  as 
his  Creator.  How  far  below  the  representations  of  the  Bible 
must  be  such  a  man's  views  of  the  righteousness  and  moral 
glory  of  the  adorable  Supreme  ? 

Perfectionism  explains  away,  or  virtually  repeals  God's 
holy  and  unchangeable  law.  In  some  instances,  its  advo- 
cates directly  affirm,  that  the  obligations  of  the  law  have 
been  abrogated,  with  respect  to  ail  believers  ;  and  that  Christ 
has  so  fulfilled  its  demands,  that  his  people  are  not,  in  any 
sense,  answerable  for  their  delinquencies.  They  are  said  to 
cease  from  their  works,  and  to  "roll  the  responsibility  of 
their  future  and  eternal  obedience  upon  the  everlasting 
arm."*  In  order  to  maintain  the  dogma  of  personal  per- 
fection, it  is  necessary  to  make  it  consist  in  something  far 
short  of  the  consummate  virtue  required  in  the  word  of 
God.  Hence  real  sins  are  called  weaknesses,  frailties,  or 
innocent  constitutional  temptations.  Concupiscence  is  redu- 
ced to  the  blameless,  though,  when  they  become  excessive, 
somewhat  dangerous  cravings  of  physical  appetite.  Supreme 
self-love  is  declared  to  be  an  essential  characteristic  of  intel- 
ligent moral  agency,  against  which  there  is  no  law;  which 
is  the  spring  of  all  virtue  as  well  as  of  vice,  and  to  which 
no  more  blame  can  be  attached  than  to  the  pulsations  of  the 
heart,  or  the  vibrations  of  a  pendulum.  Affections,  as  such, 
have  no  character ;  they  are  but  the  innocent  susceptibilities 
of  our  nature,  and  their  most  violent  workings  are  innocent, 
except  so  far  as  they  are  produced  or  modified  by  a  pre- 
vious deliberate  act  of  the  will.  In  all  other  cases,  they  are 
passive  emotions,  like  the  involuntary  impressions  made 
upon  the  brain  by  the  bodily  senses.  It  follows,  on  this 
principle,  that  love  to  God  and  hatred  of  him,  are  equally 
indifferent  things ;  and  that  they  become  praiseworthy  or 
criminal,  solely  in  consequence  of  their  connexion  with  some 
previous  purpose  of  the  mind.  It  must  hence  be  inferred, 
that  when  God  commands  us  to  love  him,  he  does  not  mean 
what  he  says;   but  that  he  is  to  be  understood  as  simply 

*  Literary  and  Theological  Review,  Vol.  i.  p.  55S. 
6 


42 

requiring  us  to  do  what  we  can  to  approve  of  his  charac- 
ter, and  yield  obedience  to  his  commands.  Thus  his  law, 
in  its  high  and  spiritual  import,  is  frittered  down  to  an  ac- 
commodation to  the  taste,  or  moral  inability  of  mankind. 
Observe  the  language  of  Mr.  Finney.  "  It  is  objected," 
says  he,  "  that  this  doctrine  lowers  the  standard  of  holiness 
to  a  level  with  our  own  experience.  It  is  not  denied  that 
in  some  instances  this  may  have  been  true.  Nor  can  it  be 
denied,  that  the  standard  of  Christian  perfection  has  been 
elevated  much  above  the  demands  of  the  law  in  its  applica- 
tion to  human  beings  in  our  present  state  of  existence.  It 
seems  to  have  been  forgotten,  that  the  inquiry  is,  what  does 
the  law  demand — not  of  angels,  and  what  would  be  entire 
sanctification  in  them  ;  nor  of  Adam,  previously  to  the  fall, 
when  his  powers  of  body  and  mind  were  all  in  a  state  of 
perfect  health  ;  not  what  will  the  law  demand  of  us  in  a 
future  state  of  existence  ;  not  what  the  law  may  demand  of 
the  church  in  some  future  period  of  its  history  on  earth, 
when  the  human  constitution,  by  the  universal  prevalence 
of  correct  and  thorough  temperance  principles,  may  have 
acquired  its  pristine  health  and  powers ;  but  the  question  is, 
what  does  the  law  of  God  require  of  Christians  of  the  pre- 
sent generation;  of  Christians  in  all  respects  in  our  circum- 
stances, with  all  the  ignorance  and  debility  of  body  and 
mind  which  have  resulted  from  intemperance  and  the  abuse 
of  the  human  constitution  through  so  many  generations  ?" 

"  The  law  levels  its  claims  to  us  as  we  are,  and  a  just 
exposition  of  it,  as  I  have  already  said,  under  all  the  present 
circumstances  of  our  being,  is  indispensable  to  a  right  appre- 
hension of  what  constitutes  entire  sanctification."* 

Perfectionism  often  and  directly  leads  to  the  most  gross, 
palpable  and  blasphemous  forms  of  Antinomianism.  It  has 
been  conjoined  with  the  horrible  notion,  that  to  the  Chris- 
tian all  actions  are  alike ;  that  sin  in  his  case  ceases  to  be 
sin  ;  that  his  doings,  however  perverse,  are  not  his  own,  but 
are  the  works  of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  whose  will  impels 
his  perfect  ones  in  all  they  think,  say  and  do.  Hence  some 
of  the  Perfectionists  have  talked  of  themselves  as  divine ;  as 
incarnations  of  the  Deity,  possessing  at  once  the  righteous- 
ness, strength  and  infallibility  of  the  Redeemer.  By  many, 
the  utility  and  necessity  of  all  divine  ordinances  are  denied, 
as  fit  only  for  the  uninstructed  and  carnal,  who  have  not 

•  Oberlin  Evangelist,  Vol.  ii.  p.  50, 


43 

yet  entered  into  their  rest.  In  the  writings  of  even  the  more 
sober  Perfectionists  of  this  day,  expressions  are  found  which 
seem  to  contain  the  germ  of  these  extravagant  and  impious 
pretensions. 

It  is  scarcely  needful  to  remark,  that  the  belief  in  perfection- 
ism cannot  stand  in  connexion  with  clear  scriptural  appre- 
hensions of  the  total  moral  corruption  of  unregenerate  men. 
Hence,  whatever  words  the  defenders  of  this  scheme  have 
used,  they  have  universally,  so  far  as  we  know,  denied  the 
essential  difference,  as  it  respects  the  spring  and  nature  of  their 
exercises,  between  saints  and  impenitent  sinners.  The  gov- 
erning motive,  namely,  self-love,  or  the  desire  of  happiness, 
however  it  may  vary  in  its  results,  is  represented  to  be  the 
same  in  both  classes,  or,  at  the  most,  any  change  effected  in 
this  respect,  is  to  be  attributed  simply  to  the  operation  of 
principles,  which,  though  stimulated  perhaps  by  a  divine 
influence,  are  yet  common  to  both.  With  such  philosophy, 
to  speak  of  any  as  totally  depraved,  is  to  use  words  without 
meaning ;  or  to  adopt  a  phraseology,  fitted  to  bewilder  and 
mislead  those  who  are  incapable  of  reducing  doctrines  to 
their  legitimate  and  primary  elements.  The  history  of  Per- 
fectionism shows  indeed,  that  most  of  its  advocates  have 
renounced  the  use  of  evangelical  language  on  this  subject ; 
and  have  maintained,  either  that  men  are  naturally  no  more 
inclined  to  evil  than  good,  or  that  a  portion  of  the  divine 
moral  image  has  been  imparted  to  the  whole  human  race. 

Perfectionism  has  been  commonly,  as  it  is  naturally,  con- 
nected with  a  want  of  reverence  for  the  Bible.  Mr.  Wesley 
reproves  those,  who  infer  from  the  conduct  of  the  apostles, 
that  some  are  entirely  free  from  sin  in  this  life,  in  the  fol- 
lowing terms  :  "  Will  you  argue  thus,  if  two  of  the  apostles 
once  committed  sin,  then  all  other  Christians  in  all  ages,  do 
and  must  commit  sin  as  long  as  they  live  ?  Nay,  God  for- 
bid we  should  thus  speak."  Again.  "  What  if  the  holiest 
of  the  ancient  Jews  did  sometimes  commit  sin  ?  We  cannot 
infer  from  hence  that  all  Christians  do  and  must  sin  as  long 
as  they  live."*  Thus  scripture  examples  are  made  to  prove 
nothing  against  the  doctrine  of  perfection.  Mr.  Mahan 
contends  that  the  passages  in  the  Old  Testament,  which 
assert  the  imperfection  of  good  men,  ought  not  to  be  addu- 
ced as  evidence  that  none  under  the  gospel  are  perfectly 
holy.     His  words  are,  "  Whatever  is  said  of  the  character  of 

*  Wesley's  Plain  Account  of  Christian  Perfection,  pp.  19,  CO. 


44 

saints,  under  the  old  dispensation,  cannot  be  applied  to 
Christians  under  the  new,  unless  such  application  was 
manifestly  intended  by  the  sacred  writer."  Speaking  of  the 
declaration  in  Eccl.  viii.  20,  he  says,  "  It  was  made  with 
reference  to  men  in  the  state  then  present,  and  not  with  refe- 
rence to  their  condition  under  an  entirely  different  dispensa- 
tion."* Thus  easily  does  he  dispose  of  passages,  which  con- 
tradict his  view.  Many  have  supposed  the  prophets  and  primi- 
tive Christians  to  have  been  unenlightened  and  carnal,  com- 
pared with  themselves.  Many  Perfectionists  have  substituted 
impulses,  or  the  inward  light,  for  the  teaching  of  the  word ; 
and  have  spoken  in  disparaging  terms  of  the  latter,  as  com- 
pared with  the  internal  illumination,  of  which  they  boast.  In 
exemplification  of  this  remark,  we  might  refer  the  reader  to 
the  votaries  of  ancient  Quakerism,  Shakerism,  and  Mystics 
and  Q,uietists  of  every  description.  And  no  wonder,  that 
they  who  are  perfect,  undervalue  that  volume  which  con- 
demns their  creed,  and  which  was  written  by  men  who  con- 
fessed themselves  to  be  sinners.  -What!  the  perfect  conde- 
scend to  be  taught  by  those  who  are  imperfect.  It  is  absurd 
in  the  extreme.  Besides,  it  is  natural  to  suppose,  that  they 
who  are  perfectly  holy,  should  read  the  word  of  God,  rather 
on  the  tablet  of  their  own  minds,  than  on  the  perishing  pages 
of  a  book,  printed  by  human  hands.  It  has  accordingly 
been  no  uncommon  occurrence,  for  those  who  imagined 
themselves  to  have  attained  to  the  highest  degree  of  sancti- 
fication,  to  abandon  the  reading  of  the  scriptures,  and  trust 
to  the  supposed  illapses  and  movings  of  the  Spirit  within 
them.  And  what  is  this  but  a  species  of  infidelity,  under  the 
guise  of  a  superior  sanctity  and  devotion?  "Search  the 
scriptures,"  says  Jesus  Christ,  "for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have 
eternal  life;  and  they  are  they  which  testify  of  me." 

We  see,  then,  why  it  is,  that  Perfectionism  has  so  gene- 
rally led  to  the  wildest  enthusiasm.  Notwithstanding  the 
warnings  of  some  of  its  more  intelligent  and  sober  champi- 
ons,! it  has  been  very  extensively  connected  with  confidence 
in  impressions,  visions,  and  unaccountable  voices,  to  the 
practical  rejection  of  that  word  of  truth,  light  and  power 

*  Mahan  on  Christian  Perfection,  p.  67. 

|  Wesley's  Plain  Account,  pp.  1 19,  120,  where  are  some  sound  and  impor- 
tant remarks  on  this  subject.  The  Oberlin  professors  have  written  against 
some  of  these  extravagances,  yet  they  maintain  opinions  which  lead  to  the  most 
pernicious  enthusiasm,  and  their  paper,  it  is  said,  is  read  and  admired  by  some 
of  the  most  fanatical  of  the  Perfectionists  in  the  western  country. 


45 

which  speaks  from  heaven.  Many  of  its  disciples  have  pro- 
fessed to  be  literally  inspired  ;  and  with  the  pretext  of  obey- 
ing divine  instruction,  have  committed  the  most  disgraceful 
excesses. 

It  is  also  the  parent  and  the  offspring  of  monkish  austeri- 
ties, inasmuch  as  it  readily  and  almost  necessarily  attributes 
the  source  of  sin  to  the  body,  or  the  animal  appetites,  which, 
though  not  wrong  in  themselves,  will  yet  become  the  certain 
occasion  of  transgression,  unless  they  be  kept  in  subjection 
by  the  strictest  regimen,  and  a  kind  of  unceasing  penance. 
Most  of  the  Romish  recluses,  who  inflicted  the  severest  cas- 
tigation  upon  themselves,  and  endeavored  to  drive  out  sin 
by  voluntary  hunger,  cold  and  nakedness,  professed  by  these 
means  to  be  seeking,  or  actually  enjoying  the  blessing  of 
unstained   purity,  and  unalloyed   communion   with   God. 
Some  of  the  Protestant  preachers  and  believers  of  the  doc- 
trine in  our  own  country,  seem  to  be  verging  towards  the 
same  superstition  ;  and  to  imagine  that  such  abstinence  and 
dietetics  as  they  inculcate,  connected  with  a  general  recep- 
tion of  their  creed,  would,  in  the  course  of  a  few  generations, 
almost  entirely  extirpate  sin  and  its  consequences  from  our 
world.     What  less  can  Mr.  Finney  mean  when  he  says,  "Is 
it  not  true,  my  brethren,  that  the  mind  is,  in  this  state  of 
existence,  dependent  upon  the  physical  organization  for  all 
its  developements — and  that  every  transgression  of  physical 
law  tends  strongly  to  a  violation  of  moral  law?"     Again. 
"I  am  now  fully  convinced,  that  the  flesh  has  more  to  do 
with  the  backsliding  of  the  church,  than  either  the  world  or 
the  devil.     Every  man  has  a  body,  and  every  man's  body, 
in  this  age  of  the  world,  is  more  or  less  impaired  by  intem- 
perance of  one   kind   or   another.     Almost  every   person, 
whether  he  is  aware  of  it  or  not,  is  in  a  greater  or  less  de^ 
gree  a  dyspeptic,  and  suffering  under  some  form  of  disease 
arising  out  of  intemperance.     And  I  would  humbly  ask,  is  it 
understood  and  proclaimed  by  ministers,  that  a  person  can 
no  more  expect  healthy  manifestations  of  mind  in  a  fit  of 
dyspepsia  than  in  a  fit  of  intoxication  ?     Is  it  understood 
and  preached  to  the  church,  that  every  violation  of  the  physi- 
cal laws  of  the  body,  as  certainly  and  as  necessarily  prevents 
healthy  and  holy  developements,  in  proportion  to  the  extent 
of  the  infraction  of  physical  law,  as  does  the  use  of  alcohol? 
I  am  convinced  that  the  temperance  reformation  has  just 
begun,  and  that  the  total  abstinence  principle,  in  regard  to 
a  great  many  other  subjects  besides  alcohol,  must  prevail 


46 

before  the  church  can  prosper  to  any  considerable  extent."* 
To  such  an  absurd  extreme  does  this  leader  of  Perfectionism 
carry  his  notions  respecting  the  connexion  between  the  body 
and  the  soul ;  and  so  clearly  does  he  lay  down  principles  of 
temperance,  which  are  rather  Pythagorean,  Gnostical,  or 
Papal,  than  conformable  to  the  precepts  and  maxims  of  pure 
Christianity. 

Correct  views  of  this  subject  are  important,  on  account 
of  their  necessary  connexion  with  the  great  system  of  truth 
and  duty,  revealed  in  the  scriptures.  A  number  of  errors 
springing  from  Perfectionism,  as  the  waters  from  a  fountain, 
have  already  been  noticed.  As  a  general  fact,  the  Perfec- 
tionist is  a  Pelagian  in  his  views  of  native  depravity,  decrees, 
election,  the  divine  agency  in  regeneration,  and  gratuitous 
justification  ;  and  he  denounces  the  doctrines  of  Paul,  ac- 
cording to  their  plain  import,  as  they  are  taught  in  his  epis- 
tles to  the  Romans  and  the  Ephesians,  as  injurious  to  the 
interests  of  holiness,  and  in  the  highest  degree  dishonorable 
to  God.  Experience  has  proved  that  Perfectionism  pecu- 
liarly prepares  the  ground,  where  it  is  cultivated  and  flour- 
ishes, for  an  abundant  crop  of  infidelity,  and  the  most  odious 
forms  of  delusion  and  imposture. 

As  to  the  practical  fruits  of  this  error,  may  we  not  be 
permitted  to  ask,  without  subjecting  ourselves  to  the  impu- 
tation of  uncharitableness,  do  we  not  see  enough  of  them  at 
Oberlin  itself,  represented  by  its  admirers  as  the  very  focus 
of  all  moral  light  and  of  holiness,  to  justify  the  severest 
crimination?  What  mean  the  constantdenunciations  against 
the  church ;  against  orthodox  and  faithful  ministers ;  and 
against  all  who  dare  to  resist  the  dangerous  innovations, 
which  go  forth,  like  swarms  of  locusts,  from  that  seat  of 
superficial  learning,  and  of  bold,  reckless  speculation  ?  What 
mean  the  complaints  which  we  hear  from  the  west,  of  the 
disorganizing  spirit  and  conduct  of  the  students  and  preach- 
ers from  that  seminary  ;  the  divisions  they  have  created,  and 
sought  to  create,  in  once  powerful  churches  ;  and  the  reso- 
lutions condemnatory  of  their  proceedings,  adopted  by  eccle- 
siastical bodies,  formerly  believed  to  be  sufficiently  favora- 
ble to  the  extraordinary  opinions  and  measures,  which  have 
characterized  the  theological  revolution  of  the  last  fifteen  or 
twenty  years  ?     What  mean  the  violent  acts  of  some  of  the 

•  Oberlin  Evangelist,  as  quoted  in  the  April  number  of  the  Princeton  Re- 
view, pp.  243,  244. 


47 

professedly  perfect  ones,  blindfolding,  menacing,  and  unmer- 
cifully beating  a  youthful  offender,  accused  of  attempting  to 
corrupt  one  of  the  female  members  of  the  school ;  and  that, 
after  they  had  themselves  deceived  him,  and  seduced  his 
mind,  by  a  feigned  correspondence,  and  other  acts  of  dis- 
simulation, not  unworthy  of  the  disciples  of  Loyala  ?  What 
mean  the  published  apologies  for  those  disgraceful  acts, 
under  the  eye,  and  with  the  sanction  of  the  fathers  of  the 
heresy  ?  What  mean  the  apparent  conceit,  arrogance,  dog- 
matism and  radicalism  of  not  a  few  of  the  ill-instructed 
young  men,  who  are  sent  out  from  Oberlin,  to  preach  down 
dead  professors  of  religion,  and  dead  ministers,  and  orthodox 
creeds  and  catechisms,  and  to  proselyte  the  world  to  the 
kind  of  sanctity  taught  by  the  faculty  of  that  institution  ? 
But  we  forbear.  It  is,  we  are  persuaded,  but  to  know  Oberlin 
thoroughly,  to  be  convinced  of  the  utter  falseness  of  all  its 
pretensions  to  uncommon  spiritual  mortification  and  holi- 
ness. Perfectionism,  indeed,  can  never  bear  a  rigid  and 
impartial  scrutiny,  as  to  its  visible  effects,  any  more  than  as 
to  the  radical  principles  which  produce  them.  Its  grapes, 
however  beautiful  in  the  eye  of  the  distant  or  cursory  spec- 
tator, are  still  the  grapes  of  Sodom ;  and  its  clusters  are  the 
clusters  of  Gomorrah.  In  proportion  to  the  developements 
which  are  made,  new  evidence  is  afforded,  that  this  heresy, 
however  diversified,  or  modified  by  circumstances,  is  every 
where  the  same  in  its  essential  features,  and  in  its  tendency ; 
arrayed  alike  against  evangelical  doctrine  and  order ;  foster- 
ing fanaticism  and  spiritual  pride ;  and,  whether  it  nomi- 
nally acknowledge  or  reject  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
taking  away  the  grounds  which  support  them,  and  robbing 
them  of  the  salutary  influence,  which  in  their  legitimate  use, 
they  are  adapted  and  designed  to  exert. 

It  is  time  to  draw  these  extended  remarks  to  a  close. 

Reader  !  the  progress  of  this  doctrine,  the  indifference  of 
many  professedly  evangelical  men  with  regard  to  its  diffu- 
sion, and  the  disposition  manifested  by  not  a  few  to  apolo- 
gize for  its  propagation,  are  indications  most  unpropitious 
to  the  cause  of  humble,  meek,  spiritual  Christianity.  Per- 
fectionism, with  whatever  professions  "of  love,  tenderness, 
and  devotion,"  it  may  be  accompanied,  is  not  the  progeny 
of  light,  but  of  darkness;  and  as  truly  as  Universalism  or 
Socinianism,  it  should  be  viewed  and  treated  by  ministers 
and  churches,  as  a  fundamental  error.  Tending  as  it  does 
to  sap  the  foundations  of  all  true  religion  and  genuine  mo- 


48 

rality,  apostacy  to  it  should  be  regarded  as  an  evidence 
either  of  a  peculiar  species  of  monomania,  a  profound  igno- 
rance of  the  meaning  of  the  terms  employed,  or  of  the  want 
of  that  humility,  without  which  all  pretensions  to  piety  are 
vain. 

Be  jealous  of  any  system  of  mental  philosophy,  the  prin- 
ciples of  which  naturally  lead  to  the  adoption  of  this  great 
error,  so  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  and  the  conscious 
experience  of  the  most  eminent  believers.  It  is  worthy  of 
very  serious  inquiry,  (if  indeed  there  be  any  room  to  doubt 
on  the  subject,)  whether  some  modern  speculations  concern- 
ing moral  agency,  and  the  divine  influence  in  the  produc- 
tion of  holiness,  have  not  contributed  largely  to  the  exis- 
tence and  progress  of  the  peculiar  form  of  this  error,  which 
has  within  the  last  few  years,  swept,  like  a  simoom,  over 
some  of  the  fairest  portions  of  our  Zion.  Guard,  with  con- 
stant vigilance,  the  citadel  of  truth  at  its  very  vestibule. 

Christian  reader  !  "  Be  not  carried  about  with  divers  and 
strange  doctrines ;  for  it  is  a  good  thing  that  the  heart  be 
established  with  grace,  not  with  meats,  which  have  not 
profited  them,  that  have  been  occupied  therein." 

This  subject  urges  upon  you  most  impressively  the  duty 
of  a  humble  walk  with  God.  Is  it  true,  that  sin  mixes  with 
and  pollutes  all  your  doings — your  most  disinterested  chari- 
ties, your  holiest  prayers,  your  most  grateful  praises  ?  Is  it 
true,  that  you  will  daily,  hourly,  every  moment,  need  a  fresh 
pardon,  and  the  aid  of  all-conquering  grace,  till  your  feet 
shall  stand  on  the  shores  of  the  celestial  Canaan,  with  the 
harp  of  God  in  your  hand,  and  the  wreath  of  immortality 
encircling  your  brows  ?  The  dust  then  surely  becomes  you. 
There  lie,  and  confess  your  sins,  and  acknowledge  the  jus- 
tice of  your  condemnation,  and  weep  with  ingenuous  sor- 
row, and  beg  for  mercy. 

Unite,  with  fervent  prayer,  untiring  watchfulness  and 
diligence.  To  this,  your  innumerable  inward  foes,  ever 
ready  for  the  assault,  seem  continually,  vehemently,  irresis- 
tibly, to  urge  you.  In  such  a  situation,  can  you  sleep  ? 
Awake,  for  the  powers  of  hell  are  near,  and  are  eagerly 
pressing  on  to  circumvent  and  destroy  you.  "  Wherefore, 
take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  you  may  be 
able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  and  having  done  all,  to 
stand." 

Let  not  the  reality  of  your  continual  imperfection  be  your 


49 

excuse ;  but  rather  let  it  excite  you  to  more  ardent  exertions 
to  reach  the  crown  of  life. 

Be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  perpetual  progress  in 
holiness.  You  have  but  commenced  the  war  ;  there  remain- 
ed! yet  much  land  to  be  possessed ;  go  on  from  victory  to 
victory,  till  not  an  inch  of  the  promised  territory  shall  con- 
tinue in  possession  of  the  enemies  of  your  Lord. 

Persevere  for  a  few  days,  and  you  will  gain  the  perfect 
purity  and  bliss,  after  which  your  glowing  heart  aspires. 
No  sound  of  clashing  arms,  no  opposing  hosts,  are  in  heaven. 
Its  quietude  is  never  invaded  by  anxiety,  or  fear.  Its  holi- 
ness is  untarnished  as  its  pure  light,  and  enduring  as  its 
years.  Triumphant  termination  of  conflicts  and  of  wars  ! 
Hasten,  then  blessed  day,  so  long  desired  by  the  holy  crea- 
tion. 

Adore  the  grace  and  faithfulness  of  your  redeeming  God. 
He  has  not  only  forgiven  the  sins  of  your  unregenerate 
days,  but  he  has  borne  with  your  renewed  provocations 
since  your  conversion — your  ingratitude,  your  coldness, 
your  worldliness,  your  self-seeking,  your  manifold  abuses  of 
his  love.  Nor  will  he  leave  unfinished  the  work  which  he 
has  begun.  He  will  guide  you  by  his  counsel,  and  after- 
wards receive  you  to  glory.  Thus  will  he  keep,  bless,  save, 
all  the  armies  of  the  ransomed,  to  the  praise  of  his  glorious 
grace  forever.  What  patience,  what  condescension,  what 
unfainting,  boundless  love  !  "  0  that  men  would  praise  the 
Lord  for  his  goodness,  for  his  wonderful  works  to  the  chil- 
dren of  men." 


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